Slipper orchids are a charming addition to your collection, their beauty, exotic looks and flowers are a huge temptation for everyone. But, there is a problem that many orchid growers have, and share and talk about quite loudly – Paphiopedilum orchids can be very slow and tricky to grow. Especially the multifloral paphs which can go in the hardest category to grow. It’s because of the requirements, the temperatures, the light, the humidity. It can get confusing. But luckily there is another family of slipper orchids, Phragmipedium, which has these beautiful flowers and exotic looks but it’s less tricky to grow, the plants grow much, much faster than their cousins. So much faster that the plants quickly reach specimen size, and the growers quite joyfully say they grow like weeds. This Paphiopedilum orchid cousins come from the other side of the world. Found in Mexico, and South America they like the warmth and humidity of the continent and their environment is