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Orchids....carnivorous?

I saw an Orchid at Lowes and on the flower it looked like it had a little pocket on the flower that looks like it would be a place with digestive juices and stuff so....is it carnivorous?
 
No, no species of orchids have been proven to be carnivorous. It was probably a paphiopedilum (though there are at least 5 genus of ladyslipper orchids). They are no digestive juices in the flowers, though they are quite interesting plants.
 
i was at homedepot a week or so ago and saw that orchid so this past sunday i had to go in there to get some supplies and they were still there but only one of them with a flower that hasn't opened yet and the bigest one there so i desided to buy it cause it was diff. from all the rest. i will let ya know. the folilage was a greenish/yellow color and if i remember right the flower was a dark purple with a little pitcher with the flower.
 
George/Chrono, that would most likely be a Paphiopedilum, probably a hybrid. If there was no name tag you may never know the exact hybrid-like hybrid neps, many can look slightly different than the "textbook cultivar" of the hybrid and look like something else. I have two Paphs (unknown hybrids-accuired at Target dept stores of all places! ) they grow great in a highland tank. One I've had since March and it's made two new clusters of leaf matter and a tiny basal rosette and the other I've had only for a month or so and the flower has remained with no sign of decline.

Supposedly the Paphs with solid green leaves like it in the 60s at night and Paphs with mottled leaves like it cooler 50s.Both of mine are mottled like a cockle shell I assume this is what you mean by yellow and green. One has wide leaves with dark green/yellow mottling and a purple /white flower, the other has light green with yellow/white mottling with an almost all green flower.
High humidy is good as always too. Mine don't get a ton of fertilizer - whenever I lightly fertilize the Nepenthes the orchid get it too. This means 1/4 strength urea free solution every 2 weeks. Mine are under 255 watts of a mixture of normal flourescent & power compact flourescent lighting but not directly under it-they are about 24" -30" from the lights.

Hope that gives you two some place to start!
smile.gif
 
sword yes the name tag was with it i always check the orchids for the name tags to make sure it matches with at least a couple of the same type plants that is with them. they are known for being missed labled. the tag reads
PAPH.(KEVIN'S WINE x JOLLY ROGER)
 
At least you got a name with yours!
I looked up each hybrid (but couldn't find images of the two bred together) just catalogs listing it for sale (a pricey hybrid it appears)!

Here's my purple one I got for under 20$ at Target but with no tag:
paph-purp.jpg


The purple spots on the flower are covered in hairs (like hairy purple/black warts). I do not recall the green one being hirsute as this one.
 
sword i was looking threw pics last night on the paph. and i don't think yours is a hybrid.My Webpage
look threw this web page some of them look alot like what you have. but if course i can never find what i bought
 
about what swords said, I think its the other way around
 
  • #10
Carnivorous23,
There are actually only 4 genera of slipper orchids. These are Paphiopedulum{Asiatic}, Phragmipedium{South/Central American}, Cypripedium{subarctic-temperate-subtropical spread through out the New and Old world}, and finally Selenipedium{South/Central America} the least known genus of slipper orchids, with only 6 species all of which can attain heights of 4-5m {14-17ft}.

Peace
 
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