Question about lady slippers

[G_THUMBS]

Any of you know if wild lady slippers can be dug and replanted?Where i live here in the mountains of western North Carolina the pink ones grow,only in certain areas though,But i found a spot that must have over 100 growing and blooming every spring !!Also are there any other colors besides pink?

[Vivienne]

I believe in Colorado it is illegal to remove wild orchids from their natural habitat. I know it's illegal to remove Columbine.
Wild orchids need to be left where they are. At least that's my 2 petals worth.

I know we'd all love to see a picture of 100s of them in bloom. That must be quite a sight!

[G_THUMBS]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

I believe in Colorado it is illegal to remove wild orchids from their natural habitat. I know it's illegal to remove Columbine.
Wild orchids need to be left where they are. At least that's my 2 petals worth.

I know we'd all love to see a picture of 100s of them in bloom. That must be quite a sight!

I'll post a pic next spring of them for you.

[G_THUMBS]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

I believe in Colorado it is illegal to remove wild orchids from their natural habitat. I know it's illegal to remove Columbine.
Wild orchids need to be left where they are. At least that's my 2 petals worth.

I know we'd all love to see a picture of 100s of them in bloom. That must be quite a sight!

Vivienne around here with all the building going on and the mountain tops and ridges being scraped for builing sites im afraid alot of the wild orchids will simply vanish The ones in the National forest will thrive on though Ive heard tells of yellow wild lady slippers around these parts but ive yet to see one.

[Vivienne]

Alas, that is a big debate in the Orchid World. Illegal to collect wild orchids, , but not illegal to bulldoze their habitat.

[kmarch]

The wild Lady Slippers you're talking about are probably Cypripedium regina and they are found in a number of places in North America.

Cypripediums require very specific cultural conditions, soil types, etc., etc. and are not prone to transplanting well, but all of that is besides the point because they are a protected species in the US and it would be illegal to remove them even if their habitat is being threatened. You may be able to obtain a special permit to remove orchids from a threatened site. I've heard of this happening in other states. Contact the Colorado State wildlife office (or whatever it is called in your area). Also look online or in phone directories or maybe contact a local university to see if there is an orchid species club or rescue in your state.

There are somethign like 45-50 species of Cypripedium and they come in many colours. Probably the most common ones in North America are the pink and white Cyp. regina and the yellow and brown Cyp. calceolus. Also the pink and brown Cyp acuale is fairly common too I think.

I found a website dedicated to Cypripedium but i have nto looked through it carefully so I do not know how reliable the info on it is. I also found a Wikipedia article on Cyps but again have not read it thoroughly so do not know how accurate it is.

Wikipedia entry on Cyps
Cypripedim website

Originally Posted by G_THUMBS

Any of you know if wild lady slippers can be dug and replanted?Where i live here in the mountains of western North Carolina the pink ones grow,only in certain areas though,But i found a spot that must have over 100 growing and blooming every spring !!Also are there any other colors besides pink?

[electric.chowder]

please do not remove it from nature! I think the one you're talking about is Cypripedium acaule, this one:

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/reg..._acaule_lg.jpg

it grows around where I live as well (western va) and from what I've heard, it takes about five to seven years to reach blooming age, and has to grow near a certain type of fern, because the fern produces a kind of bacteria that produces the nitrogen it needs to grow. The chances of it surviving after a transplant are slim to none. and even though it's not on the endangered list, it is extremely close to it.

There is also a yellow ladyslipper that grows in the applachian mountains:

http://www.amazinggracecatz.com/site...allhere007.jpg

I havn't been able to find the yellow yet, but the pink one sure is amazing to see in bloom. I missed it this year because I was biking down in your area (which I fell in love with I must say)

seeing hundreds in bloom though, that must be an amazing sight, I look forward to next spring to see pics

edit: those are *not* my pics, that's what popped up in google image

[Anton]

I think you'll find that native orchids ANYWHERE are illegal to be removed unless you have a special permit, and the rules are very stringent for getting them.

A friend of mine has one and he has it because he is a major cultivator of endangered species, or as mentioned above, to get them from areas being cleared for development to ensure their longivity.

[janet_a]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Alas, that is a big debate in the Orchid World. Illegal to collect wild orchids, , but not illegal to bulldoze their habitat.

maddening, isn't it??

g-thumbs, there are a couple places that legally sell native slippers if you want to give it a try, but as others have said, leave the ones in the wild alone. don't touch, don't get too close, don't tell anyone else where they are, in fact don't even look at 'em funny.

http://www.vtladyslipper.com/

there's another place too but i can't think of the name right now...

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

If you really want to grow Cypripediums, check out this site. These are seed grown plants, of all types, and therefore of different colors. Besides not disturbing the plants in nature, these plants should be a little easier to grow as there is no doubt a selection process where the easier plants to grow in captivity have survived the growing process from seed. Roberts Flower Supply will no doubt also give you the cultural info you need.
http://www.orchidmix.com/cyps.htm

[G_THUMBS]

I wont be removing any of these wild orchids,or looking at them funny and it is a secret spot on top of a mountain.Im more interested in digging the wild ginseng

[electric.chowder]

There's a good idea g_thumbs, dry the ginseng out and sell it, then you can just buy all the orchids you want

[E-Jag]

G Thumb, where are you located in western NC? I have a place in Bryson City, which is wa-a-ay west. Thinking about moving up there in a year or two.

_____________
E-Jag

[G_THUMBS]

Originally Posted by E-Jag

G Thumb, where are you located in western NC? I have a place in Bryson City, which is wa-a-ay west. Thinking about moving up there in a year or two.

_____________
E-Jag

E-Jag i live in the most western county in the state of NC Cherokee county.

[E-Jag]

Been to Murphy several times, lot of new (second) homes going up around there. Joyce Kilmer Forest is gorgeous. Here in Tampa (you have names for folks from Florida) I don't often get to talk with folks who live WEST of me in NC. I look forward to chatting with you.

________________
E-Jag

[Creutz]

Originally Posted by electric.chowder

The chances of it surviving after a transplant are slim to none. and even though it's not on the endangered list, it is extremely close to it.

What about Cypripedium grown in pots? I plan on getting a pot grown Cypripedium and I intend to keep it there for awhile until it outgrows the pot. I live in an apartment and don't have a garden, you see

When the Cypripedium does outgrow the pot and needs a bigger one, are there any tips or precautions I should take? Any help would be appreciated.

[kmarch]

Have you researched cyp culture? Many of them require a dark cool (cold) winter rest during which they go dormant. How would you manage that in an apartment?

[Creutz]

Originally Posted by kmarch

Have you researched cyp culture? Many of them require a dark cool (cold) winter rest during which they go dormant. How would you manage that in an apartment?

Thanks for the speedy reply, I appreciate it The Cypripedium I plan to grow is C. reginae. A few websites have mentioned that it is possible to grow in pots, but never mentioned anything about transplanting it. As for their dormancy, I've read that the plant can be put in a fridge or an unheated, outdoor storage facility, provided that the pot the plant is growing is mulched, stays moist, sealed in a plastic bag, and is not subject to desiccation and freezing-thawing periods. My fridge and my outdoor storage area meet all of the above requirements.

And say I do somehow acquire a garden. I still plan on getting a mature C. reginae that is most likely going to be shipped in a pot. Any tips for transplanting it from its pot to garden?

And yes, I've done quite a bit of research regarding growing C. reginae. It's just that people often have very different opinions on how to grow it. Some people say they have had success growing them in media of pure or mostly pure manure while others say it's a bad idea... and so on and so forth. I suppose it all depends on where you live. I'm from Manitoba, Canada, by the way, where it's Zone 4 and we have C. reginae and other orchids (not just Cypripedium) growing naturally along ditches and highways. Anyone else live in a similar region?

Sorry to be a pain, but I'm just trying to reach some kind of general consensus here as to how to grow C. reginae, preferably in a pot.

[kmarch]

Questions are never a pain. I especially congratulate you n the simple fact that you're sorting out the cultural requirements before buying the plants. Believe it or not, not everyone does that.

Anyway, I'm a big fan of looking at the natural habitat in which orchids grow in order to get clues about how to grow them. If you have Cyp reginae growing wild in your area, I would go to those areas and examine the soil/mulch/medium in which they're growing. Is it leaf mulch? Is it soil? Is it hard, soft, loose? Is it moist, dry, different at different times of the year? Is it in the shade? Full sun? Dapples shade or bright indirect light? Maybe even take some soil samples and see whats in it.

Regardles of whether you're growing outdoors or in an apartment I would try to copy whatever it grows in nature. Then use the advice of various experts to improve upon nature. This is essentially what we try to do with most orchids.

I used to live in Michigan where there are a few species of Cyp. There were several growers there and in Ohio that had a fairly good go at growing them. I'd think if they grow wild in your area you'd have a better chance of trying them.

[Orchidflowerchild]

Originally Posted by kmarch

Have you researched cyp culture? Many of them require a dark cool (cold) winter rest during which they go dormant. How would you manage that in an apartment?

Crisper drawer. I know a guy who's grown several of the more nothern/mountainous species for several years in Houston. He gives them 1-3 months in the crisper drawer in their pots, then keeps them outside through summer.

-Cj

[patticake]

I remember my mother showing me lady slippers in the woods when I was I child. I thought they were yellow. We're in the northeast of NY state. I might be wrong about the color-It was a long time ago! There's a housing development there now.-

[articuno75]

I've seen yellows and pinks here in Indiana in the wild before. Yellow ones were like a dozen 'er so in a cluster. All near a big downed tree that had these green stalks we call "canopies". See them all the time when we go mushroom hunting.

[patlee]

One of current officers of the Central Ohio Orchid Society took us on an "orchid hike" in southern Ohio. First we were taken to a state park where there was one ,lone,yellow lady slipper. It was in the middle of a hiking trail,so the rangers had enclosed it in a little triangle of chicken wire That way no one could accidentally trample it.

Then we went to the home of one of his neighbors. After telling us not to tell anyone where the location was, they took us to a half acre plot of land that was covered with pink lady slippers in various stages of bud/bloom. Absolutely gorgeous! It was a difficult area to get too (maybe I'm showing my age) and I didn't take pictures because they wouldn't allow it ,but I'm hoping they offer this hike again this Spring.

[Creutz]

Originally Posted by kmarch

Questions are never a pain. I especially congratulate you n the simple fact that you're sorting out the cultural requirements before buying the plants. Believe it or not, not everyone does that.

I learned my lesson about five to six years ago when I bought a Venus Flytrap at a whim. The plant ended up dying since I lacked the necessary knowledge to keep it alive. My mistake was not letting it go dormant. Needless to say, it greatly discouraged me from growing carnivorous plants. Last year I had a change of heart and purchased a couple of Venus Flytraps, a Drosera, and a Sarracenia after much research and they all did quite well. Right now, they're sleeping in my fridge, waiting for spring.

Fortunately for me, my first Venus Flytrap was no more than $10. Orchids, on the other hand as we all know, are rather expensive. I don't wish to spend $40 or more on a plant and then just have it die on me.

Originally Posted by kmarch

Anyway, I'm a big fan of looking at the natural habitat in which orchids grow in order to get clues about how to grow them. If you have Cyp reginae growing wild in your area, I would go to those areas and examine the soil/mulch/medium in which they're growing. Is it leaf mulch? Is it soil? Is it hard, soft, loose? Is it moist, dry, different at different times of the year? Is it in the shade? Full sun? Dapples shade or bright indirect light? Maybe even take some soil samples and see whats in it.

Regardles of whether you're growing outdoors or in an apartment I would try to copy whatever it grows in nature. Then use the advice of various experts to improve upon nature. This is essentially what we try to do with most orchids.

I used to live in Michigan where there are a few species of Cyp. There were several growers there and in Ohio that had a fairly good go at growing them. I'd think if they grow wild in your area you'd have a better chance of trying them.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that once the snow melts. I'm going to have to go out in the wild anyway to collect plant specimens as part of my botanical studies. I might as well look for orchids while I'm out there. Don't worry, I'll never pick an orchid out in the wild as some of them are protected and it's greatly discouraged despite of protection status

I've got a picture of a Cypripedium growing along a highway, just outside the city of where I live, but you're going to have to wait to see it until I reach my 5th post.

Thanks for all your input. I hope my experience with growing orchids goes well.