Say Hello to the Lady Slipper
It is common “knowledge” that the orchid is a tropical/subtropical plant. But in truth, orchids can be found in virtually every part of the globe except for the deserts and the polar regions.
About 85% of orchid types may inded be found in the tropics and subtropics, but that leaves a large proportion to the more temperate zones. Among other things, this means that you will not be out of luck if you live in a cool area and want to grow orchids, but do not have a greenhouse or other such area in which do so so.
The number of known orchid species is in the tens of thousands. You could be surprised to learn that there could well be orchids growing in your own vicinity, even if you make your home in a cool region. Take the fairly common Lady Slipper.
Lady Slippers (also written Lady’s Slippers and Ladyslippers) is a name given to a large subfamily of orchids, the Cypripedioidea, with many members that grow in cool climates over much of North America and Europe. If you live in the New England states of the U.S., or the Appalachian mountains, or even in Canada, you could have Lady Slippers growing wild in some woods near you.
A species of Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota. Another is the official state wildflower of New Hampshire. The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island has a Lady Slipper as its official flower.
If you’re considering growing orchids, especially in an outdoor garden, you would do well to consider a native species. It will already be adapted to your particular climate, and–if you live in a place that experiences low temps in the winter–you might not even need to bring it inside when cold weather arrives.
Among the loveliest American orchids is the Yellow Lady Slipper. It is also among the easiest orchids to grow in a garden. On the other hand, the Pink Lady Slipper is extremely difficult to grow.Unless you have lots of experience growing orchids already, between the two you would probably want to go with the Yellow Lady Slipper.
Nurseries that specialize in orchid plants tend to run out of stock from time to time. Nevertheless, Lady Slippers are generally some of the easiest orchids to obtain. They are furthermore less expensive, generally, than orchid plants that come from far away. They are a great orchid for getting your thumb green, so to speak, before you take on the rarer or more “foreign” varieties.
All of the advice pertaining to successful orchid growing apply to the Lady Slippers and similar plants. You need accurate information before you begin attempting to grow these or other orchids, and the best, most complete guide to modern orchid cultivation, without a doubt, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded online. Mr. Howard’s guide is a complete education in itself, suitable for beginners as well as the more experienced. Also, be sure to visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing database of articles on all aspects of orchid cultivation.
