Ludisia discolor (Jewel orchid) — H13 cm | Pot Ø6 cm
- Regular price
-
€27,95 - Regular price
-
- Sale price
-
€27,95
Couldn't load pickup availability
Frequently asked questions
When does Ludisia discolor flower? A mature plant in good light produces upright spikes of small white flowers with a yellow center in winter, which last several weeks.
How do I propagate a Ludisia? Cut a stem section at least 8 cm long with a few leaves and place it in damp sphagnum moss or in water until roots appear, in about four to six weeks.
Shipping & packaging
Shipped within 24/48 hours via DPD
- Delivery in 2 to 5 working days
- Eco-friendly packaging: recyclable boxes and biodegradable materials
- Special protection so your plant arrives in perfect condition
- Tracking link sent by email as soon as your parcel ships
- Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page
ZEN ARRIVAL GUARANTEE
We guarantee that your plants will arrive in perfect condition. If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition:
- Contact us promptly at hello@verdeia.eu with photos
- We will find the right solution for your situation
- No return needed — we trust you
The guarantee covers: damage in transit, plants severely weakened on arrival, and order preparation errors.
CARE TIPS ON ARRIVAL
To help your plant settle in for the long term:
- Unpack your plant immediately and inspect it
- Let it acclimatize for 24-48h in a bright spot out of direct sunlight
- Check the soil moisture before watering (dry surface = light watering)
- Wait 2-3 weeks before repotting, if needed
- Keep it away from heat sources and drafts
- Gently wipe the leaves to remove dust
Need help? Contact our team at hello@verdeia.eu or via chat.
🖤 Velvety, almost black foliage • ✨ Fine coppery-pink veins • 🌥️ Low to medium indirect light • 🌸 Can flower in winter once mature • 🐾 Non-toxic • 🌱 Young plant to grow on • 📏 H13 cm | Pot Ø6 cm
Ludisia discolor is a terrestrial orchid grown for its foliage. Its oval, pointed, velvety leaves are a burgundy brown so dark that it looks almost black; fine coppery-pink veins run along their length, linked by a few cross veins. They form a rosette around a fleshy reddish-brown stem. In the wild it grows on the ground, under the canopy of humid tropical forests; the species is native to southern China and Southeast Asia, as far as Sumatra and the Philippines.
It is delivered as a young plant 13 cm tall, in a 6 cm nursery pot. Its growth is slow: its creeping stems gradually spread across the surface of the substrate and form a clump that rarely exceeds 30 cm in height. Once mature, it can flower in winter, on upright spikes of small white flowers with a yellow center; yet it is its dark, veined foliage that places it among the plants with decorative foliage.
Light & placement
As under the forest canopy where it grows, it needs low to medium light, always indirect. Direct sun scorches its leaves, and a room that is too dark slows its growth even further.
- Light: near a north- or east-facing window, or set back from a sunnier window, with at most one hour of direct sun; see windowsill plants.
- Placement: desk, bedside table, shelf or bright bathroom, away from radiators and cold drafts.
- Temperature: 16 to 22 °C, never below 10 °C.
- Humidity: the air in an apartment is enough if watering is regular; when heating dries the air, a tray of damp clay pebbles under the pot helps (see bathroom plants).
Small and slow-growing, it can also be grown in an open terrarium, where the humid air suits it, although it flowers less there; suitable plants are gathered in our Plants for terrariums collection, and the balance between brightness and humidity is explained in light and humidity.
Watering & care
It likes a slightly moist substrate, never soggy: water when the surface starts to dry out, roughly the top third of the pot, then let the excess drain away. The finger test tells you the right moment.
- Water: at room temperature, lukewarm rather than cold; more pointers in which water to use for your plants.
- Drainage: pot with drainage holes, saucer emptied after each watering; a substrate that stays soggy rots the stems and roots (see saving rotten roots).
- Substrate: houseplant potting mix lightened with about 40% perlite or fine grit, rather than the pure bark used for epiphytic orchids; see substrates.
- Fertilizer: diluted orchid fertilizer, a few times in spring and summer, following the principles of feeding indoor plants.
Mealybugs, thrips, aphids and spider mites are the pests to watch for; treatments are described in indoor plant pests.
Decor ideas & plant combinations
Its almost black foliage is best seen up close and makes the pale greens and patterned foliage placed next to it stand out. The rules of arrangement are explained in combining potted plants.
- Echoing veins: next to a Maranta leuconeura 'Fascinator' with very pronounced red veins on a green background; two patterned foliages that like the same indirect light and a moist substrate.
- Light against dark: near a Pteris cretica 'Albolineata', a fern with pale green fronds striped with white, which, like it, enjoys the humid air of a bright bathroom.
- In miniature: alongside a Philodendron scandens 'Brasil' with small bright green hearts variegated with yellow and a Peperomia prostrata with round leaves in a shell pattern, two other young plants in 6 cm pots, lined up on a windowsill.
- On a desk: compact and at ease in medium light, it finds its place on a desk or a bedside table, away from direct sun; more ideas in office plants.
Other colorful or patterned foliage is presented in variegated and colorful foliage, and other uncommon plants in rare and unique plants.
Verdeia tips
- Prepare its winter flowering: on a mature plant, a room at around 15 °C and slightly less frequent watering from early fall encourage flower spikes to appear; once the flowers have faded, cut the stalk at its base. If you grow it mainly for its foliage, pinching out the spikes as soon as they appear keeps it more compact and bushier. The rhythm of houseplants is explained in dormancy, growth and flowering.
- Root broken stems: its fleshy stems are brittle; a section at least 8 cm long with a few leaves, placed in damp sphagnum moss or in water, roots in about four to six weeks. The method is explained in propagation by cuttings.
- Choose a wide, shallow pot: its roots stay close to the surface; when repotting, about every three years in spring, move up to the next size, wider than it is deep. The steps are described in our guide to repotting and choosing a container in choosing the right pot.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Ludisia discolor (syn. Haemaria discolor)
- Common name: jewel orchid
- Family: Orchidaceae
- Origin: species native to southern China and Southeast Asia, as far as Sumatra and the Philippines
- Dimensions at delivery: H13 cm | Pot Ø6 cm (young plant)
- Mature size: clump up to about 30 cm tall
- Growth habit: creeping, fleshy stems spreading into a clump, leaves in a rosette
- Light: low to medium indirect light, no prolonged direct sun
- Watering: when the surface of the substrate starts to dry out
- Humidity: medium to high
- Temperature: 16 – 22 °C, minimum 10 °C
- Foliage: evergreen, oval and pointed velvety leaves, almost black burgundy brown, coppery-pink veins
- Flowering: can flower in winter on mature plants, upright spikes of small fragrant white flowers with a yellow center
- Growth: slow
- Care: easy
- Toxicity: Non-toxic to animals and children
- Decor style: Urban jungle / Graphic / Collector
Each plant is unique: the shade of the leaves, from very dark green to almost black burgundy brown, and the color of the veins, from coppery pink to gold, vary naturally depending on the plant, the light and the age of the leaves.
Your plant, delivered with care
Every plant is hand-packed in a box specially designed for plants — secured, protected, ready to travel. It arrives in perfect condition, roots intact and foliage preserved, ready to take its place in your home.
Our Verdeia commitments
FAQ – Everything to know before adopting your Verdeia plant
How are my plants prepared before shipping?
All our plants are selected from our European partner nurseries. Before shipping, they are watered, cleaned, and protected with breathable, secure packaging. Each package is designed to ensure your plant arrives in perfect health, without any transport-related stress.
Will the plant look exactly like the photo?
The photos accurately represent the variety and the stated size. Since each plant is unique, slight differences in shape, foliage, or color may occur — and that’s part of their charm.
What are the delivery times and conditions?
Orders ship within 48 working hours, with tracked delivery in 2 to 5 working days via DPD. Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page. You receive a tracking link as soon as your parcel leaves.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
Open your package as soon as you receive it and carefully remove the plant from its packaging. Let it acclimate for 24 hours in its new environment before watering. If it has been slightly stressed during transport, it will recover its shape after one or two days in the light.
What should I do if my plant arrives damaged?
Contact us within 48 hours with a photo of the issue. Our team will assess the situation and offer you the best solution: replacement, partial refund, or recovery advice.
Can I return a plant?
Since plants are living beings, standard returns are not possible. However, we guarantee good health upon delivery: if the plant arrives damaged, it will be replaced free of charge. For any other cases (order error, decorative pot, accessory), returns are possible within 14 days.