Pink Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium acaule)

The pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is a perennial orchid native to Wisconsin, cherished for its unique and elegant bloom. This plant features a single, inflated lower petal, forming a distinctive slipper-like shape with deep red veins and a central groove running down the middle. It grows on a leafless stalk, reaching heights of six to 15 inches.

Its basal leaves are broad, deeply veined,  and can stretch up to 10 inches long, providing a lush green contrast to its delicate flower. Thriving in dry, shaded coniferous woodlands, this orchid relies on a symbiotic relationship with specific fungi in the soil to access nutrients. Unlike many flowers, the pink lady’s slipper has a complex pollination process, requiring insects—often bees—to enter the slipper-shaped bloom through a small opening and navigate a pollen-coated exit.

Due to its sensitive growing requirements, it is difficult to cultivate outside its natural habitat, even making wild sightings somewhat rare.  While beautiful, this orchid should never be picked, as it takes years to develop and may not survive transplantation. (LS)