Also known as slipper orchids, moccasin flower, camel’s foot, squirrel foot, steeple cap, Venus’ shoes, and whippoorwill shoe, lady slipper orchids are a member of the orchid family, Orchidaceae, that is one of the two largest plant families and includes the vanilla plant. Most lady’s slipper orchids grow in temperate and subtropical climates of the Northern Hemisphere and are found in such habitats as moist woods, wetlands, and rocky outcrops. Plants are perennial, mostly terrestrial, and grow from a short hefty rhizome. Most slipper orchids have one or more erect stems 6-30″ tall, carrying 2-12 hairy leaves that are ovate to elliptic, to lanceolate, 1.5-10″ long, and pleated longitudinally. One to three (but up to 12) flowers appear at the tops of the leafy stems. The flowers have a showy inflated pouch (the slipper) that is yellow, white or pink and may be tinged or marked with other colors, inside and/or out. Sepals and petals are often the same color ranging from white to green to brown,, and may be spirally twisted. Bees are the most common pollinators but other insects may also be involved.
Most lady’s slippers prefer cool temperatures, part shade and moist soil, and are dependent on special soil fungi to complete their life cycle. Slugs are an occasional problem and shoot rot can occur if plants are watered excessively during their dormant period. Lady slippers are difficult to propagate and to grow in the garden and most harvested from the wild will die when transplanted. A few nurseries specialize in growing lady’s slippers and a limited number of species are available.
The genus name, Cypripedium, is derived from ancient Greek words Κύπρις (Kúpris), referring to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, and πέδιλον (pédilon), meaning sandal.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The conditions in New England have resulted in at least four species of lady’s slipper native to New England but they may be native to other areas of the US too. The lady’s slippers described here are native to at least five states in New England.
Moccasin Flower (Cypripedium acaule)
The two green basal leaves are elliptical, 3.5-9″ long, and have conspicuous parallel veins and a finely bristled texture. A leafless bristly stem usually bears a single flower with a large, showy pouch-like lower lip 1.5-2.5″ long. The lip is rich to pale pink with darker veining, sometimes almost white, and has a center groove running down the front. The sepals and petals are lance-shaped and greenish brown. Very difficult to propagate and grow.
Alternate Name/s: Pink Lady’s Slipper, stemless lady’s slipper, two-leaved lady’s slipper
Native Range: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as parts of the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest
Habitat: Pine or oak woodlands
Type: Perennial
Height: 6-24″
Bloom Time: Mid-spring to mid-summer
Bloom Color: Deep pink, pinkish-white, rarely white with dark pink veining
Light: Part shade
Soil: Sandy, dry to moderately moist well-drained, acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Ram’s Head Lady’s Slipper (ccc)
Usually 3 bluish-green leaves per stem, but sometimes four to five, are 2-4 inches long and are elongated with rounded or blunt tips. A single terminal flower (sometimes 2) is .5-1″ long, and has a hairy pouch that is shaped like an inverted conical hat. The pouch is white with purplish red markings. Side petals and sepals are narrow, reddish-brown and may be spirally twisted. Ram’s head lady’s slipper is rare to extremely rare throughout its range and does not transplant well.
Alternate Name/s: None
Native Range: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut as well as parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest
Habitat: Coniferous or mixed forests and woodlands, swamps, and mossy bogs, often associated with cedar, spruce, or juniper trees
Type: Perennial
Height: 4-16″
Bloom Time: Late spring
Bloom Color: White, reddish purple
Light: Part shade
Soil: Moderately moist to wet, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-?
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Greater Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum)
Hairy stems carry 2-5 clasping leaves that are 1.5- 6.5″ long, elliptical to oval, and hairy, and have distinct parallel veining. One to two terminal flowers have a pale to dark yellow pouch (rarely white) that is .75-1.25″ long and may have reddish to purplish spots on the pouch opening and faint purple venation on its lower area. Green, yellowish, or dark purple/brown sepals and petals are 2″ long and usually spirally twisted. Yellow lady’s slipper is one of the easier ones to grow so is a good choice for native plant, woodland, shade, meadow, prairie, and pollinator gardens.
Alternate Name/s: Yellow lady’s slipper, lesser yellow lady’s slipper, moccasin flower
Native Range: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as places on the Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountain area, Southwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest
Habitat: Dry to mesic forests, woodlands, fens, prairies, meadows and along streams.
Type: Perennial
Height: 6-17″
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Bloom Color: Yellow
Light: Part shade
Soil: Compost, medium moist, well-drained, acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Large White Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae)
A single plant can produce 20 stems or more (up to 200) and each stem carries 4-12 clasping leaves and 1-3 terminal flowers. The bright green oval leaves are 5- 10″ long, hairy and have wavy edges and prominent longitudinal veining. The flowers have an inflated pouch that is 1-2″ long and white heavily tinted with rose pink to magenta (sometimes all white).The petals and sepals are oblong, 2″ long, and finely hairy.
Alternate Name/s: Pink-and-white lady’s-slipper, queen’s lady’s-slipper, fairy queen, white wing moccasin, royal lady’s slipper, and silver-slipper
Native Range: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut as well as areas in the Southeast, Mid Atlantic, and Midwest
Habitat: Damp fens, meadows, deciduous forests, swamps, along river banks and on rocky outcrops with adequate soil
Type: Perennial
Height: 2-3′
Bloom Time: Late spring to mid summer
Bloom Color: Pink, white
Light: Part shade
Soil: Fertile, humus rich, consistently moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-7
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The New England area includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The area offers diverse geography with rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, and coast lines on both the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. It has four distinct seasons that provide environmental conditions for at least four native lady’s slippers. The winters are long, cold, and heavy snow is common from December to February. Summer is short with temperatures between 80 and 85 F. Precipitation averages about 45″ as rain and 60-90″ as snow.