Lady’s-slippers season is upon us. Time to hit the woodland trails and keep your eyes peeled , these little beauties shouldn’t be missed. I look forward to seeing them every year. During a walk in the woods, you might not even notice them at first, but it seems the eyes adjust and after finding one they just pop up all around you.
The pink variety or Cypripedium acaule aka Moccasin Flower are a native New England orchid. While the legality of picking and digging up varies state to state, it is best to just leave them be and enjoy the visual delight. Remember when mom used to tell us look but don’t touch? Yeah, go with that.
These flowers are very particular about where they will grow. Like most orchids, they rely on symbiosis to thrive. That means they have a partnership with another organism. In this case it is a fungus. The fungus helps crack open the seed and delivers the nutrients. As the plant matures the tables turn and the fungus then gets its nutrients from the roots of the orchid. Pretty incredible right?
I could go on and on, but really, what I’m saying doesn’t matter… go out and discover some yourself. You’ll see why I (and so many other plant nerds like me) are madly in love with these awesome plants.
Oh yeah… Definitely stop by the shop as well, we try to keep an indoor variety available so you can enjoy them in your own home.
