Lady's slipper orchid.

At a glance

Care level

Difficult

Plant type

Perennial orchid

Light

Partial shade

Indoor light

Bright indirect

Water

Every 5 to 10 days

Mature size

1 to 2 feet

Growth rate

Slow

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 7

Bloom time

Late spring to early summer

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged to mimic its forest floor home. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal that the soil is too wet or lacks proper drainage. It prefers cool temperatures and high humidity to stay happy.

Watering

Keep the substrate damp to the touch without letting it sit in standing water.

Feeding

Use a very diluted, balanced orchid fertilizer during the active growing season.

Pruning

Remove dead foliage only after the plant has fully entered dormancy in late autumn.

Repotting

Repot only when the plant has clearly outgrown its container or the medium has broken down.

Soil

Rich, calcareous, well draining woodland soil

Soil pH

Neutral to slightly alkaline

Temperature

-30 to 25°C

Humidity

50 to 70%

Safety

People

The plant contains irritant compounds that can cause dermatitis in sensitive individuals.

Children

Keep children away from the plant as ingestion can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Contact allergens

Handling the foliage can cause skin irritation or rashes due to glandular hairs.

Airborne allergens

There is no significant evidence of respiratory allergies associated with this species.

Edibility

This plant is not edible and may cause stomach upset if ingested.

How to identify it

• Large, inflated, slipper shaped yellow lip
• Dark purple or brown twisted petals
• Broad, pleated, alternate green leaves
• Grows from a creeping rhizome

Height

0.2 to 0.6m

Spread

0.15 to 0.3m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

yellow, brown, 5 to 8cm

Problems to watch for

• Root RotCommon
• Slugs and SnailsCommon
• AphidsUncommon
• Botrytis BlightUncommon
• Fungus GnatsUncommon
• Leaf SpotUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

division, seed

When to plant

spring, autumn

Plant in groups with other woodland perennials that appreciate cool, moist, and alkaline soil.

Grows well with

• Woodland Ferns · They provide the dappled shade and moisture levels this orchid prefers.
• Hellebore · They share similar woodland soil and light requirements.

Similar species

• Showy Lady's Slipper · It is a related North American species with similar growth habits.

Science

Family

Orchidaceae

Genus

Cypripedium

Order

Asparagales

Class

Liliopsida

Native range

Temperate regions of Europe and Asia.

Conservation

This species is protected in many parts of its range and should never be collected from the wild.

It thrives in calcareous woodlands where it forms symbiotic relationships with soil fungi.

Value to wildlife

nectar source

Pollinators

bees

Uses

ornamental garden plant, botanical collection

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Can I grow this in a regular garden bed?

It requires specialized soil conditions, usually a woodland setting with high organic matter.

How often should I water it?

Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged.

Where the name comes from

The name Cypripedium comes from Greek words meaning Venus and shoe, referring to the slipper shape.

Good to know

• It is the largest orchid species native to Europe.
• The flower uses a trap mechanism to ensure bees pollinate it.
• It requires a specific mycorrhizal fungus in the soil to germinate from seed.
• The name refers to the slipper shaped labellum of the flower.

Also in

• Plants for shade