Paphiopedilum orchids are mysterious and exotic, with satiny flowers that look like they are sewn of silk. They hold up to intimate inspection, for their dainty petals are ribbed, dotted and striped. Their distinctive plump, sensuous "lip" looks like a slipper, which is why they are commonly known as lady-slipper orchids.

Paphs are shade-lovers in nature. Most are terrestrial orchids, meaning they grow on the ground, under a mottled canopy of trees. They don't grow in soil but root in piles of loose humus and moss on the forest floor. The medium holds moisture yet is light enough to provide aeration for the plant's roots.

They like filtered morning sun, but too much light will burn their foliage. An eastern window is best, but slipper orchids can bloom in a bright north window, making them particularly valuable to the home grower.

"I have a customer whose lady-slippers are her No. 1 bloomer," says Jamie Huizenga, an owner of Cebolla Fine Flowers in University Park, who sells lady-slippers like the one pictured for $35 to $75, depending on the container choice. "They're real easy to grow. But they bloom a shorter period than the phalaenopsis, which can flower for two to three months.