Cypripedium calceolus
Slipper Orchid
The lady's slipper orchid is a long-lived herbaceous perennial which produces new growths from a rhizome each season. It grows up to 60 cm tall, and the stems produce three to four leaves and are covered in glandular hairs. The leaves can reach 18 cm in length and 9 cm in breadth. The flower sepals and petals are maroon, sometimes green, and the slipper-like lip is yellow, and spotted inside with red.
Contributed by @lovell
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Partial shade
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Occasional watering
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Not Frost hardy
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Moist and free draining
Common name
Slipper Orchid
Latin name
Cypripedium calceolus
type
Perennial
family
Orchidaceae
ph
5.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
full grown dimensions
Cypripedium calceolus
The lady's slipper orchid is a long-lived herbaceous perennial which produces new growths from a rhizome each season. It grows up to 60 cm tall, and the stems produce three to four leaves and are covered in glandular hairs. The leaves can reach 18 cm in length and 9 cm in breadth. The flower sepals and petals are maroon, sometimes green, and the slipper-like lip is yellow, and spotted inside with red.
Planting young plants
From Early Autumn TO Late Autumn
Sometimes small plantlets (keiki) appear from the nodes on the flower stems. Detach the plantlets when they have developed several good roots and pot them up in orchid compost. Water them sparingly at first, but mist them daily. Always use a proprietary orchid compost. Ensure good light levels in winter, as these are essential to encourage flowering. An east- or west-facing window would be ideal. Move to a shadier spot in summer and protect from direct sunshine. When planting terrestrial orchids outdoors, plant in semi-shade, no direct sun at midday. A very suitable place would also be on the north side of a building. Most orchids are woodland plants and therefore prefer cool sites, which do not become too dry and hot during summer. Places where ferns thrive are also suitable for. Don’t plant your orchids close to trees or big shrubs because their roots are effective competition for water and nutrients! Autumn is the best season for planting. Spread out the roots in the upper 10 cm (4 inches) of the soil, the rhizome 2-3 cm (1 inch) below the surface, shoot buds upwards. Fill in the remaining substrate without compressing it, and water thoroughly.
Flowering
From Early Spring TO Late Winter
Many orchids do not have a flowering season and flowers may be produced at any time if the right conditions are being met. Terrestrial orchids grown outdoors will mostly flower in the summer months. Flowers can last for several months.
Planting young plants
From Early Autumn TO Late Autumn
Sometimes small plantlets (keiki) appear from the nodes on the flower stems. Detach the plantlets when they have developed several good roots and pot them up in orchid compost. Water them sparingly at first, but mist them daily. Always use a proprietary orchid compost. Ensure good light levels in winter, as these are essential to encourage flowering. An east- or west-facing window would be ideal. Move to a shadier spot in summer and protect from direct sunshine. When planting terrestrial orchids outdoors, plant in semi-shade, no direct sun at midday. A very suitable place would also be on the north side of a building. Most orchids are woodland plants and therefore prefer cool sites, which do not become too dry and hot during summer. Places where ferns thrive are also suitable for. Don’t plant your orchids close to trees or big shrubs because their roots are effective competition for water and nutrients! Autumn is the best season for planting. Spread out the roots in the upper 10 cm (4 inches) of the soil, the rhizome 2-3 cm (1 inch) below the surface, shoot buds upwards. Fill in the remaining substrate without compressing it, and water thoroughly.
Flowering
From Early Spring TO Late Winter
Many orchids do not have a flowering season and flowers may be produced at any time if the right conditions are being met. Terrestrial orchids grown outdoors will mostly flower in the summer months. Flowers can last for several months.
Planting
From Early Autumn TO Late Autumn
Semi-shade, no direct sun at midday. A very suitable place would also be on the north side of a building. Most cypripediums are woodland plants and therefore prefer cool sites, which do not become too dry and hot during summer. Places where ferns thrive are also suitable for lady’s slipper orchids. Don’t plant your cypripediums close to trees or big shrubs because their roots are effective competition for water and nutrients! Autumn is the best season for planting. Spread out the roots in the upper 10 cm (4 inches) of the soil, the rhizome 2-3 cm (1 inch) below the surface, shoot buds upwards. Fill in the remaining substrate without compressing it, and water thoroughly.