Dossinia marmorata

Queen of Jewel Orchids, Marbled Jewel Orchid, Jewel Orchid

Moderate careTerrestrialNon-toxic10–30 cm

A rare terrestrial orchid endemic to the lowland forests of Borneo, grown almost entirely for its foliage rather than its flowers. Each leaf is a deep, velvety dark green — almost black — traced with a fine network of metallic gold or rose-gold veins that catch the light. It grows slowly along the forest floor in humid shade, making it well suited to a closed terrarium where steady warmth and high humidity can be maintained.

Build a terrarium with this plant
Queen of Jewel Orchids image

Photo by chipmunk_1·CC BY-SA 4.0

Care

Light

Indirect light(preferred)Shade tolerant

Humidity

Very high (80%+)(preferred)High (60–80%)

Temperature

10°C25°C40°C
15°C – 30°C

Soil

Sphagnum mix(preferred)Peat mossMoisture retentive

Moisture

Moist(preferred)

Soil pH

5.5 – 6.5

Appearance

Growth habit

CreepingClumping

Leaf shape

Oval

Leaf texture

VelvetyGlossy

Distribution

Propagation

Take a cutting with at least one node and one leaf. Plant in slightly moist sphagnum or a perlite-sphagnum mix, apply rooting hormone if available, and keep at high humidity. Growth is slow — expect several months before the cutting is established.