Green Lady

Get To Know The Lady Slipper Orchid

It is common “knowledge” that the orchid is a tropical/subtropical plant. But in truth, orchids can be found in almost every part of the globe except for the deserts and the polar regions.

About 85% of orchid types will inded be found in the tropics and subtropics, but that leaves a large number to the more temperate zones. Among other things, this means that you will not be out of luck if you live in a cool area and want to grow orchids, but do not have a hothouse or other heated area in which do so so.

The number of known orchid species is in the tens of thousands. You could be surprised to learn that there could well be orchids growing in your own vicinity, even if you make your home in a cool region. Take the relatively common Lady Slipper.

Lady Slippers (also written Lady’s Slippers and Ladyslippers) is the name given to a large subfamily of orchids, the Cypripedioidea, with many species that grow in cool climates over much of North America and Europe. If you live in the New England states of the U.S., or the Appalachian mountains, or even in Canada, you could have Lady Slippers growing wild in some woods near you.

A species of Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota. Another is the official state wildflower of New Hampshire. The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island has a Lady Slipper as its official flower.

If you are considering growing orchids, especially in an outdoor garden, you would do well to consider a native species. It will already be adapted to your specific climate, and–if you live in a place that sees low temps in the winter–you might not even need to bring it inside when cold weather arrives.

One of the prettiest native-American orchids is the Yellow Lady Slipper. It is also among the easiest orchids to grow in a garden. On the other hand, the Pink Lady Slipper is extremely difficult to grow.While either variety would make a lovely garden addition, go with the Yellow Lady Slipper for ease of care.

Nurseries that specialize in orchid plants tend to run out of stock from time to time. Nevertheless, Lady Slippers are generally some of the easiest orchids to obtain. These are also more inexpensive, generally speaking, than plants from exotic or distant regions of the world. They are a great orchid for getting your thumb green, so to speak, before you take on the rarer or more “foreign” varieties.

All of the rules governing successful orchid cultivation apply to the Lady Slippers and related plants. You need accurate information before you begin trying to grow these or other orchids, and  the best, most complete guide to modern orchid growing, beyond question, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded from the web. Mr. Howard’s guide is a thorough course of study, useful for novices and more experienced growers alike. Also, be sure to visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing library of articles on many aspects of orchid cultivation.

The Green Lady Killers – “My .45″