Jewel orchids’ beautiful leaves sparkle
For most people, the word “orchid” brings to mind exotic flowers with tall stems and sweet fragrances. Therefore, you might be surprised to hear that one of the most popular orchid varietals is grown for its leaves, not its blooms. Jewel orchids’ leaves boast complex vein patterns, which can appear to glitter in the light. The effect is astonishing, reducing the plant’s spindly flowers to a background feature. Jewel orchids are all about the foliage.
Jewels are terrestrial orchids, and they’re found the world over. Many jewel orchids are sold as inexpensive house plants. In fact, you may have a potted jewel orchid in your home and not even know it! Often jewel buyers don’t know they’re purchasing an orchid because the plants are inexpensive and usually flowerless. And unlike other orchids, jewels come potted in thick soil.
The most common variety of jewel orchid, Ludisia discolor, has fleshy leaves with pink or red veins. This species is native to Indonesia, but has become ubiquitous in the west in recent years. In the springtime, almost every garden and home improvement store has trays of Ludisia orchids for sale. Other jewel varieties are less common; some of these have features like hairy leaves, blood-red flesh or multi-colored veins. The term “jewel orchid” actually refers to multiple orchid genera, so there’s huge variety within the group.
Although Ludisia plants are rampant, some jewel orchids are quite rare. This is due in part to the method of collecting them. Often times, orchid sellers will harvest wild orchids; since the orchid life cycle is very long, many orchids are collected before they can reproduce. Luckily, heightened awareness about the precarious state of the orchid world had led to an increased conservation effort in recent years. Wild jewels are still not prevalent, but they’re no longer near impossible to find. If you are fortunate enough to find a jewel orchid in the wild, it will probably be located in a humid, shady place near a tree or rock. They’re difficult to spot from far away because of their herb-like appearance.
Jewel orchids are easy to grow; they are an ideal plant for beginning gardeners and for orchid enthusiasts alike. All it takes to care for most jewels is about 75 percent humidity, low light and temperature with about a 10 degree Fahrenheit differential between day and night. Most people can grow jewel orchids in their kitchens, bathrooms or temperature-controlled laundry rooms without problems. If you’d prefer, using a terrarium is another good method to grow jewel orchids.
It’s easy to cultivate a new plant from an existing jewel orchid. Just take a cutting with a part of the rhizome intact and insert it in moss or water. A new root system should develop in a week or two. Use this method if you come across a jewel orchid in the wild. Taking a cutting instead of the whole plant will help keep these beauties around for generations.
The next time you’re in the market for an attractive house plant, think about a jewel orchid. Jewel orchids may not have show-stopping flowers, but they’re striking just the same. Their sparkling leaves can spruce up any space. Best of all, these little plants are affordable; a small jewel should retail at less than $10. All around, jewel orchids are good bets.
