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# Ludisia discolor

Smithsonian Gardens

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                      -     DetailsRelatedObject Details- Description
- Ludisia discolor is one of many orchids called "Jewel orchid," because it is grown for its beautiful leaves rather than its flowers. Commonly grown for terrariums, L. discolor defies the stereotype of finicky, difficult to grow orchids. If you wish to grow more of this orchid, simply take a piece of the pseudobulb, stick it in dirt or a glass of water, and wait for roots to appear in a few weeks.
- Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
- Year round; peaks in December through March
- Medicinal / Pharmaceutical
- Was used in Hong Kong for medicinal purposes.
- Pollination Syndrome
- Butterfly (Pieris rapae, Pleisconeura asmara), reward
- Provenance
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Accession Number
- 2011-2421H
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Life Form
- Terrestrial
- Bloom Characteristics
- Inflorescence is 4-12" (10-30 cm) long with 10-25 densly blooming white flowers that last 2-3 weeks. The column and lip of the flower are twisted in opposite directions. Flowers are .75" (1.7 cm) across.
- Foliage Characteristics
- Dark green, 2-3" (5-7.6 cm) long leaves with criss crossing lines that run the length of the leaf and some speckling.
- Fragrance
- Fragrant
- Plant Size
- 10-18" x 6-10" (25-46 x 15-25 cm)
- Range
- S China to Sumatera and Philippines
- Habitat
- Humid, shady, lowland forests near rivers; 230-3600ft (70-1100m)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
- On Display
- National Portrait Gallery, Kogod Courtyard
- Common Name
- Jewel Orchid
- Twisty-Flowered Orchid
- Variegated Orchid
- Rock Lotus Root
- Rock Silk Worm
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Lilianae
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Subfamily
- Orchidoideae
- Genus
- Ludisia
- Species
- discolor
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Topic
- Orchids
- Living Collections
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2011-2421H
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ax70b631908-3f7c-4e4d-8427-e95567a3104f
Related Content-                    The Art and Science of Orchids                 
  Photographed by: Hannele LahtiCC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions).  You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian.  For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                PreviousNext             Footer logo      
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