Lady's Slipper Plants

Cypripedium Orchids

• Showy lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae Walt.) comes by its name honestly, with pure white sepals and petals above a deep, hot pink "slipper." The plant grows 2 to 3 feet tall and produces one to three flowers on strong stalks in spring. Small white lady's slipper (C. candidum) grows only about 7 inches tall and can take a dozen years from germination to its first flower. Each plant produces one to two flowers in late spring to early summer. The flowers have off-white lips with faint, light purple or green streaks and spots. Yellow lady's slipper (C. pubescens) produces bright yellow, 2-inch flowers in late spring to early summer and grows 1 to 2 1/2 feet tall. Another yellow-flowered variety, Southern lady's slipper (C. kentuckiense), grows 2 to 3 feet tall and the huge, 5-inch flowers have maroon stripes. Pink lady's slipper (C. acaule) is the changeling of the group, growing in various environments, sizes and color combinations in different parts of the country. The plant grows from Alaska and Canada over to the Northeast and down the Atlantic coast to the Southeast. and can be anywhere from 18 inches to 50 inches tall. Pink lady's slipper, also called moccasin flower, blooms in mid-spring, producing pink slippers that may have yellow, white, maroon or purple petals.

Paphiopedilum Orchids

• Paphiopedilum lady's slippers orchids thrive in growing medium made of fir bark kept evenly moist, with high humidity and good air circulation. This group of lady's slippers may be miniature, at about 4 inches tall, to larger specimens that grow 2 feet tall. Like pink lady's slipper, this orchid comes in a wide array of colors, including yellow, green, pink, white, orange and purple, and may have spots and stripes in the same or contrasting colors. The plant may have one flower at a time, sequentially or produce several flowers all at once.

Phragmipedium Orchids

• Native from Mexico to South America, this type of lady's slipper orchid has many varieties and growing requirements. Some grow on the ground, and some on trees. Sequoia bark makes a good growing medium. Phragmipedium produces orange, red, pink, yellow and purple blooms. P. kovachii, from Peru, is one of the largest. Although it is illegal to import these plants from their native habitats, seed-grown plants are available from commercial and specialty nurseries as well as mail order.

Considerations

• Many lady's slipper species require such specific humidity, light, water, fertilizer and time to grow that they may best be left to experienced hobbyists and orchid experts. Beginners may be more successful obtaining sturdy older plants from specialty and commercial nurseries that may offer free advice and growing tips.