Paphiopedilum venustum aka Charming Paphiopedilum

Paphiopedilum venustum is an orchid in the Orchidaceae family. It stays green all year and lives for years. Its home range spans eastern Nepal, northeastern Bangladesh, and southern Tibet. It grows in a wet tropical climate. Its upright clumps consist of leaf rosettes. These are groups of leaves that grow from one point. The RHS calls it a terrestrial, or ground-growing, orchid. It suits pots indoors, conservatories, and warm greenhouses.

Plants reach about 0.3–1.6 feet (0.1–0.5 metres) tall and wide. They reach full size in two to five years. Each narrow, elliptic, or oval, leaf grows about 0.8 feet (0.25 metres) long. Dark and pale green patches mark the leaf tops. Purple marks the lower sides. The leaves add interest even when the plant lacks blooms. It has no pseudobulbs, the swollen stems that store water. This means it cannot cope with long dry spells.

Flowers open from winter into spring. Chicago Botanic Garden gives January through April as the bloom season. Each stem bears one flower, though it may bear two. Blooms span about 0.26 feet (0.08 metres). Green and rose-red blend on petals with dark maroon spots. Their tips turn mauve and have hairs. The white upper sepal has green stripes across it. Dark green veins form a clear pattern on the pink-and-green pouch.

The RHS advises bright light through a filter. Use an orchid mix that lets water drain well. Use bark with sphagnum moss and perlite, or crushed limestone chips. Give it more moisture in the air during summer. Suggested summer temperatures are 20–25°C, with 18–22°C in winter. Water when the mix is close to dry. Do not let it stay dry for long. Do not leave the pot standing in water. Do not keep the mix wet for long periods. Feed with every third watering. The RHS rates it H1A. It needs glasshouse warmth all year. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 9–10. That page now sits in its archive.

The RHS reports few pest or disease problems. Mealybugs may still attack the plant. Cold and watering from above can cause bacterial rot within rosettes. Avoid heavy misting and watering over the leaves. The plant needs no pruning. Split mature clumps when they outgrow their pots. Each new clump needs at least three healthy rosettes with roots. Growing plants from seed needs controlled conditions in a lab.