Paphiopedilum urbanianum is an uncommon species with beautiful foliage, and richly colored flowers. The deep burgundy on the petals fades within a week of opening to a more muted rose, evident in the first and second set of photographs below.
With our other mottled leaf Paphiopedilum, this species grows in our warm room (62F/17C minimum nights) under LED grow lights. Paphiopedilum urbanianum is a consistent grower, and has been amenable to a mix of medium Orchiata and small growstones, and currently, our standard Paphiopedilum media of medium Orchiata (60%) and New Zealand tree fern, with some hydroton added for drainage at the bottom.
Paphiopedilum urbanianum is, or was, native to a small area on Mindoro Island in the Philippines (the species is near extinction in the wild).
While the typical bloom period in the literature for this species is March-May, these photographs are from an early January flowering.
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