Ludisia orchid

Ludisia is more commonly known as the jewel orchid, though its full name is Ludisia discolor because of its two distinct colours; dark leaves and lightly coloured flowers.

Description
Ludisia Orchids are distinctive due to their deep red and green velvet textured leaves, though they do also produce a number of small white and yellow flowers. The leaves are lightly veined and have a two-tone effect.

Habitat
Ludisia Orchids are a ground-covering variety of orchid and can be found naturally in northeast India, Indonesia and China. Often they are found in damp forest locations and mountainous areas in the region.

Availability
Flowering in the winter months mainly, these are tough and adaptable plants which make them an ideal gift at any time of year.

Species
This flower belongs to the species L. Discolor, Ludisia are the genus of the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Varieties such as ‘Dawsonia’ and ‘Alba’ have proved particularly popular.

Care Tips
Very easy to care for, the Ludisia will grow in just about any type of soil. Like all orchids, they thrive in high humidity areas so standing them on a saucer of wet pebbles and misting as often as possible will keep them healthy. Ludisia do not require direct sunlight and prefer low light or shade where possible, as too much light may cause the leaves to turn pale. This makes them ideal for growing in terrariums or bottle gardens.

Did You Know?
It is common for Ludisia to be mistaken for a common houseplant and many people may not even realise that they have an orchid in the house.

The plants seem to prefer hanging over the sides of pots and tend to grow in clumps, if allowed to do so.

References
http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=13535
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/350769/Ludisia-discolor