Most orchids are grown for the beautiful shapes, colors and scents of their exotic flowers. Not Ludisia discolor! This plant is unique in many ways as far as orchids go. Although it does flower, the main draw is the stunning foliage this plant produces.
Keep reading for a variety of care tips on Ludisia discolor!
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Unlike many orchids that you may be familiar with, such as Phalaenopsis (the ubiquitous moth orchid) or cattleya (the "corsage" orchid), Ludisia discolor, or Jewel Orchid, is a terrestrial orchid and is not an epiphyte.
Terrestrial means that Ludisia orchids grow on land. In nature, they grow in soil on the forest floor, unlike epiphytic Phalaenopsis and cattleya which grow on tree branches in nature and are typically grown in a bark mix in our homes.
Ordinary potting soil it is then for Ludisia discolor! Lets get into Ludisia discolor care. It is a very easy orchid plant to grow and doesn't really demand much from its owner. In fact, the care is more similar to a "normal" tropical houseplant versus an orchid.
Table of Contents
LUDISIA DISCOLOR CARE
LIGHT
Ludisia orchids really aren't demanding at all. And when I say orchids, there is only one species in the Ludisia genus and it is the discolor species. These plants are native to the Asian tropics and grow in the ground on the forest floor.
They are considered low light orchids, just like Paphiopedilum orchids. My Ludisia discolor orchid, which is several years old now and grown from a small plant that was given to me by an orchid enthusiast with a greenhouse, has been growing in Eastern exposure.
If you have a window where you are growing happy African Violets, or even Phalaenopsis orchids, then your Ludisia discolor orchid will do well there too!
Ludisia definitely does not like a lot of direct sun but a little bit of morning sun is fine.
I would recommend a nice big Northern exposure window if you have it, or an Eastern facing window. If there is too much sun, you can diffuse the sun a bit with blinds or curtains.
You will definitely need to diffuse any direct sun from your Western or Southern exposure windows because they will have too much direct sun for these plants.
JEWEL ORCHID FLOWERS
As I mentioned, the flowers are nothing compared to many other orchids, but they still produce flowers. Take a look at my plant below. It is an older photo but I was able to get a good photograph. Dark foliage is hard to photograph!
You can see that it still puts on quite a show, but the flowers are small and insignificant compared to many other orchids. Ludisia discolor flowers will last quite a while. At least a few weeks if not more. My plant typically blooms in late-Autumn.
I do find that the plant becomes a little awkward looking when it is in bloom, and I have been known to prematurely cut off the flowers so I can get around it and take care of my other plants 😀
JEWEL ORCHID SOIL
Notice I did say soil! Since these are terrestrial plants, they should be grown in potting soil. I suppose you can also grow these in sphagnum moss as well, but I've grown them for years in plain potting soil and have had success.
Since these plants are not epiphytes, do not grow Ludisia in a bark mix. These plants like moisture and you will find it hard to keep up with watering otherwise.
I normally add perlite or ¼" pumice (link to Amazon) to my potting mixes, but I have done just fine using a mix like Miracle Gro all purpose potting mix. You can use it as-is or maybe add a bit of perlite. Mixing 3 parts of all-purpose potting mix plus 1 part of perlite will give you a wonderful medium for this plant.
There are various pros and cons to using perlite vs. pumice, so pick your favorite!
JEWEL ORCHID WATERING
Ludisia discolor orchids like to stay moist.
In an ideal scenario, I let just the surface of the soil dry out before I water it again thoroughly.
The worst thing you can do is to let your Ludisia discolor dry out. If you let it dry out completely, the lower leaves will start to with and turn red.
Do this repeatedly and you will have a very sad looking plant!
On the other hand, you do want your plant to dry out somewhat in order to avoid the risk of rotting your plant. Allowing the top inch or so of the potting mix to dry out should be more than sufficient.
FERTILIZING JEWEL ORCHID
Like all of my houseplants, I fertilize dilutely with every watering, skipping the winter months of course when plants are not growing.
I am a huge fan of Dyna Gro Grow fertilizer. It is a super high-quality fertilizer that is urea-free and contains all the macro and micronutrients necessary for plant growth.
TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
This plant really isn't fussy. If you are comfortable in a room, then your Ludisia discolor will be fine. It prefers warm temperatures and is tolerant of average indoor humidity.
Although it does like higher humidity, it has never complained for me with average indoors conditions. Proper watering is far more important than worrying about increasing your humidity.
Although I do run a humidifier in my sunroom now, I have grown this plant successfully in the past with no supplemental humidity.
PESTS
In the many years that I've grown Ludisia discolor, it has been relatively pest free, but I did battle a bout of scale!
To find out how I eradicated scale on my plant, check out my blog post where I detailed a 5-step process to eliminate scale. You CAN win the battle against scale if you are persistent.
Jewel Orchid Toxicity
Ludisia discolor is non-toxic to dogs and cats, according to the ASPCA.
Jewel Orchid Propagation
Unlike many other orchids which can be impractical to propagate (unless you divide them), you can take cuttings the old fashioned way with Ludisia discolor and easily root new plants!
The stems are relatively fragile, and I once broke a stem when I moved my plant. I simply put the cutting in water and it rooted easily. It took a couple months or so, but it rooted easily.
Be sure to change the water frequently so that you keep the water fresh and help to avoid rotting.
That's really all you need to know about Ludisia discolor, or Jewel Orchid! If you remember only one thing, it's that this plant despises drying out completely so do everything you can to not let that happen (but don't drown it either...)
Do you have any Jewel Orchids? I'd love to hear your experiences so comment below!
I have been growing Jewel Orchid's for 40 years. When they get to long, or you want your pot to be full, and thick, cut the stem 1 inch from the soil, with a sterile knife. You need at least a 3 inch piece to plant. You will get new growth on the cut plant in the pot, making it more compact. Take the lower leaves off the bottom of the cutting. Plant them in soil. They will root within 2 weeks, sometimes faster. provide the same light for your cutting, that you grow the mother plant in. I do not propagate a Jewel Orchid in water. They have a soft fleshy stem, that roots well when planted. If you mix some perlite, and peat moss, into your potting soil. this will help it drain better, so the soft stems don't rot. Plant in clay pots, with clay saucers. they breath, and provide humidity to the plant. Just place a pretty glass plate under your clay saucer so as not to mar your shelf.
I hope this is helpful,
Katherine
Wow! Sounds like a wonderful specimen Hazel! If you are on Instagram, you can DM me a photo? You can otherwise use my contact form on my website. When I reply, you can attach the photo.
I bought my jewel orchid off Etsy and it’s doing great! I have it by a north-facing window. It bloomed in January (in Minnesota). It’s getting tall; is it okay to tie it to a stick so it keeps growing upward? It keeps flopping over because it’s too-heavy.
Hi Michelle! There is nothing wrong with supporting them with a stick if you choose! I've let mine cascade over the pot. It can get a little awkward though, so I take that opportunity to cut those sections off to propagate :-).
The plant will keep growing, and they will often grow brand new stems from the root system. My own plant started from cuttings and one is very big now and full because of continued new growth. Just give it some time 🙂
Hi Raffaele! I loved your article on this plant, it was really good to read a bit more about ludisia discolor. I got three cuttings about a month ago from a lovely Thai restaurant and I'm waiting on root growth ever since. I change the water weekly. Some fury things developed on the stems, but no roots yet. The leafs look fine. You've mentioned in your article that it took your cutting months to propagate. Concerning the "winter phase" we're in at the moment, would you say that roots will still grow from those fury buds? Thank you so much for your time. I'm looking forward to your reply! 🙂
Best Regards from Germany,
Daniela
Hi Daniela! As long as the cuttings still look good, just keep waiting. It can be a test of patience, but they will root. :-). Be sure to keep them near a window, but out of direct sun as they're rooting.
My jewel or hid is growing very long with five leaves at the top.Does this orchids grow a new stem from the main stem or do I need to cut it,what do I do with the lower part of the stem. It's healthy.
It will eventually grow more from the base. I have one that I propagated that is doing the same thing as you're describing, and it's showing new growth from the base. To speed things up though, you can always make another cutting, root it, and plant it back in the same pot. Hope this helps!
Hi! I have a ludiscia Discolour for a week and a couple of lower leaves start turning red/fading (just within a week). The plant gets some indirect light and I bottom water once.I didnt water from the top as I am battling with fungus gnats in the house lately... I put moisture metre about 2 inches in the top soil and the reading is at the lower end of moist 4. Could you please let me know if the plants are under water? Thank you....
Hi there. I would try your best to follow the care instructions I have in the post. Moisture meters can be very misleading and inaccurate. I would recommend just using your finger to judge soil dryness.
Hello! I have a jewel orchid and leaves are turning red quite frequently although i keep it moist. some leaves also grow quite pale 🙁 There aren’t many readings on them so I don’t know what’s wrong with it. Do you have any suggestions on how I could try to fix it?
You'll have to tell me what your conditions are for the plant and your care routine. How far from a window is your plant? What exposure is the window? Temperature? Etc. And do you feel the soil with your finger? Or are you using a moisture meter? Moisture meters are bad news and I don't recommend them.
I have a small jewel orchid that has been curling its leaves since I bought it two weeks ago. I keep it in medium indirect light and not watering too frequently (well draining soil, once a week in my dry and warm climate). Any idea what may cause the leaves to curl up?
Hi Jess! It could be that your soil is too dry. These plants hate to go completely dry. Always water thoroughly until water escapes the drainage hole. Then wait until the surface dries, and then water again.
I have one growing out side it is flowering good love it amazing growing outside do not do much to it at all
They're wonderful plants 🙂
I would like
To order a Ludisia Discolar. Do you ship orchids. I am néw with you. I live just south of Philly, Pa
Hi Bob, I'm actually not a plant shop. I hope you find a good plant!
I have been growing Jewel Orchid's for 40 years. When they get to long, or you want your pot to be full, and thick, cut the stem 1 inch from the soil, with a sterile knife. You need at least a 3 inch piece to plant. You will get new growth on the cut plant in the pot, making it more compact. Take the lower leaves off the bottom of the cutting. Plant them in soil. They will root within 2 weeks, sometimes faster. provide the same light for your cutting, that you grow the mother plant in. I do not propagate a Jewel Orchid in water. They have a soft fleshy stem, that roots well when planted. If you mix some perlite, and peat moss, into your potting soil. this will help it drain better, so the soft stems don't rot. Plant in clay pots, with clay saucers. they breath, and provide humidity to the plant. Just place a pretty glass plate under your clay saucer so as not to mar your shelf.
I hope this is helpful,
Katherine
Great tips Katherine! That's a great way to rejuvenate a leggier plant. Thanks for sharing!
I have a jewel orchid that has more than 50 buds on it right now. It is so amazing.
I would like to send you pic but don’t know how.
Wow! Sounds like a wonderful specimen Hazel! If you are on Instagram, you can DM me a photo? You can otherwise use my contact form on my website. When I reply, you can attach the photo.
I bought my jewel orchid off Etsy and it’s doing great! I have it by a north-facing window. It bloomed in January (in Minnesota). It’s getting tall; is it okay to tie it to a stick so it keeps growing upward? It keeps flopping over because it’s too-heavy.
Hi Michelle! There is nothing wrong with supporting them with a stick if you choose! I've let mine cascade over the pot. It can get a little awkward though, so I take that opportunity to cut those sections off to propagate :-).
Can I use succulent and cactus soil? I have a whole sack but no plain potting soil.... Just wondering if I can save my self a trip to the store
You can still certainly use that. It just may dry out a bit faster, so be aware of that.
If you get a cutting, what would happen to the original plant? Will it grow or sprout new leaves?
The plant will keep growing, and they will often grow brand new stems from the root system. My own plant started from cuttings and one is very big now and full because of continued new growth. Just give it some time 🙂
Hi Raffaele! I loved your article on this plant, it was really good to read a bit more about ludisia discolor. I got three cuttings about a month ago from a lovely Thai restaurant and I'm waiting on root growth ever since. I change the water weekly. Some fury things developed on the stems, but no roots yet. The leafs look fine. You've mentioned in your article that it took your cutting months to propagate. Concerning the "winter phase" we're in at the moment, would you say that roots will still grow from those fury buds? Thank you so much for your time. I'm looking forward to your reply! 🙂
Best Regards from Germany,
Daniela
Hi Daniela! As long as the cuttings still look good, just keep waiting. It can be a test of patience, but they will root. :-). Be sure to keep them near a window, but out of direct sun as they're rooting.
@Raffaele, thank you! 🙂
My jewel or hid is growing very long with five leaves at the top.Does this orchids grow a new stem from the main stem or do I need to cut it,what do I do with the lower part of the stem. It's healthy.
It will eventually grow more from the base. I have one that I propagated that is doing the same thing as you're describing, and it's showing new growth from the base. To speed things up though, you can always make another cutting, root it, and plant it back in the same pot. Hope this helps!
I bought a small pot of jewel orchid 3weeks ago. And water once a week , I fine out the leave turn soft , can you give me some advice. Thanks
I would need more information and photos to help. Did you follow everything in the post concerning light, soil moisture, etc?
can they only thrive in sphagnum moss?
I grow mine in plain potting soil.
Hi! I have a ludiscia Discolour for a week and a couple of lower leaves start turning red/fading (just within a week). The plant gets some indirect light and I bottom water once.I didnt water from the top as I am battling with fungus gnats in the house lately... I put moisture metre about 2 inches in the top soil and the reading is at the lower end of moist 4. Could you please let me know if the plants are under water? Thank you....
Hi there. I would try your best to follow the care instructions I have in the post. Moisture meters can be very misleading and inaccurate. I would recommend just using your finger to judge soil dryness.
Hello! I have a jewel orchid and leaves are turning red quite frequently although i keep it moist. some leaves also grow quite pale 🙁 There aren’t many readings on them so I don’t know what’s wrong with it. Do you have any suggestions on how I could try to fix it?
You'll have to tell me what your conditions are for the plant and your care routine. How far from a window is your plant? What exposure is the window? Temperature? Etc. And do you feel the soil with your finger? Or are you using a moisture meter? Moisture meters are bad news and I don't recommend them.
I have a small jewel orchid that has been curling its leaves since I bought it two weeks ago. I keep it in medium indirect light and not watering too frequently (well draining soil, once a week in my dry and warm climate). Any idea what may cause the leaves to curl up?
Hi Jess! It could be that your soil is too dry. These plants hate to go completely dry. Always water thoroughly until water escapes the drainage hole. Then wait until the surface dries, and then water again.
Where do I purchase this orchid? After reading this article I am really wanting to get a few! Thank you
Hi Marijane! I don't know where you live, but just go to google and search for "buy jewel orchid online" and it should have plenty of options.
I have a jewel orchid that blooms every year in December and January. I got it as a cutting from a friend and I just love it.
They're such wonderful houseplants and easy to grow! Great beginner orchid.