Jeweled Ludisia, Jewel Orchid (Haemaria discolor)

Jeweled Ludisia, Jewel Orchid
Haemaria discolor

In addition to the blooms, the coloration of the leaves and stems are beautiful. The angle from which you took the photo gives us an excellent view of the plant. Are these that easy to grow?

Lovely plant. Thanks for the look!

I have grown this for years and it is extremely easy to grow. It likes regular potting soil and I have never had any problems with disease or pests. It is really easy to propagate - just break off a stem, let the end heal over for a day or two and pot it up!

My plant has gotten huge and the pot it is in is so big that it holds moisture for a long time. This plant tends to be shallow rooted and doesn't like to be too wet. I think it would be happier in an azalea or bulb pot but I have had difficulty locating those types of pots.

It likes bright indirect light and doesn't seem to suffer from the low humidity in the house during the winter. I let it summer outside in a bright but shady spot.

It is also lovely as a hanging plant. The foliage is so beautiful that the blooms are considered secondary although I think they are charming, especially when the plant is covered with them.

Yes, htop, very easy to grow. I agree with NoH20's cultivation tips, except that I use some orchid potting mix added to a soilless mix to ensure excellent drainage. I will send you a piece next spring if you want to try it. Mine receives limited morning sun and always blooms this time of year. It is a little sparse right now because I just put it in this shallow but large container in Sept. and it had been in a 5 inch pot before that.

I like your idea of adding some orchid potting mix to the soil - I will try that when I repot.

BTW, that is a really healthy looking cyclamen next to the orchid.

I can't take any credit for the cyclamen...it was received (sadly) as a funeral plant about two weeks ago.

I am sorry to hear that. Dealing with death is always hard, but I think the holidays make it even worse. I hope you will have some good holiday memories to ease your grief.

Hey guys, cool pics! I do have a question though. I just bought one about a month ago and they look great. The flowers are nice but have all dried up now. Somehow caring for this plant is pretty easy.

My questions are:
1. I now see a bud growing out of its side where the velvetty leaves are. Is this bud also the stem that you were referring to for propagation?
2. My plant is still in its original commercial plastic pot that I bought it in (4" diameter), is it necssary to repot it now or just leave it as it is? if repotting is necessary, is there a commercially available potting mix for this?
3. How crowded/dense will the plant get if I just let the buds grow on their own without cutting them off?

Thanks and hope to hear from you guys.



This message was edited Friday, Mar 26th 1:50 PM

My questions are:
1. I now see a bud growing out of its side where the velvetty leaves are. Is this bud also the stem that you were referring to for propagation? To propagate this plant, I just cut or break a stem (at least 4" long with several pairs of leaves) and let the stem sit for a day or two until the cut end has healed over. Then pot it up and water. The 'bud' you are referring to is probably a new branch emerging.

2. My plant is still in its original commercial plastic pot that I bought it in (4" diameter), is it necssary to repot it now or just leave it as it is? if repotting is necessary, is there a commercially available potting mix for this? I only repot when the plant is crowded. I have always used a commercial soilless potting mix but I think Toxicodendron's suggestion to add some commercial orchid mix to lighten the soil is a good one. I also recommend using a bulb or azalea pot; these are shallow rooted plants and do better in a shallow pot because the soil drains/dries faster. You can also use a hanging pot that is relatively shallow; they make lovely hanging plants.

3. How crowded/dense will the plant get if I just let the buds grow on their own without cutting them off? If you just let the stems grow they can get very leggy and break off easily. I pinch the growing stems periodically which causes the plant to grow full and lush.

Thanks NoH2O. Your help is much appreciated. :)

I agree with NH20's suggestions entirely. You might add a little time-release fertilizer when you repot. Also, be careful not to leave water standing on the leaves in sunlight, they tend to get holes in them sometimes due to that situation.
Hope you enjoy your new plant!