Hey...Lookie here

[ATester]

Well, while sauntering through my in-laws yard, look at what I found! : I found at least six of them...probably more!

[TundraKev]

Those are wonderful.

[bench72]

Fantastic.. how cool is it finding these in a natural setting...

So which ones are these again?

And if it is in your in-law's yard, are you allowed to take some?



Cheers

Tim

[Jmoney]

wonderful find!

[ATester]

These are Cypripedium acaule, or the "Mocosin Flower" or more commonly known as the Pink Ladies Slipper. It is just one of several of the native orchid species around here, the rest apparently live in peat bogs like the Twayblades. Another one has just finished blooming, and anothr spike is coming up from one next to it.

[Gin]

They are so pretty , but do not take well to being moved , I helped a friend remove them from an area to be bull dozed in Mich. I brought just 2 home and tried to duplicate the conditions they were in , it worked for awhile then I guess the soil lacked the fungus they needed to germinate the seeds . We have them in Mo. so I am told but have not seen any in person . Thanks for sharing your find . Gin

[ATester]

Yeah, I know that they do not take well to being moved (hence the reason why I would never dig up a specimin to have in my home collection). I did have to transplant one at my inlaws (close to this specimin that I shot) due to the construction of the Basset Hound Pen. Well, the good news is that that plant has survived. From what I understand, the biggest worry is that you will disrupt the mycorrhizae that the plants depend on, or put them in a less acidic environment which will also kill them.

Now, here is a question that someone wo is knowlegable might be able to answer. Do these plants also multiply by a rhizome? I am unfamiliar with the paphs and Phrags which I understand are also in the same alliance. Or, do they only propogate by sexual means? There is one "clump" of cyps in their yard that are right next to one another (they even appear to be growing right out of the same spot in the soil).

[TundraKev]

Yes, the clumps do increase in size. I'm not sure if the term is rhizome or not, but they will get bigger. I suppose if you really were familiar with these, you could even divide large clumps. I sure wouldn't do it though.


A few miles from my house, there is a wildflower garden maintained by the city park department. It's the oldest one (or one of the oldest) of its kind in the country. Anyway, there's a huge clump of the Showy Pink Ladyslipper there. That clump is easily 3 feet across with dozens of individual stems.

[ATester]

TundraKev,

Wow! That must be impressive to see!

[bench72]

Hard to transplant aye... Darn... my evil plans to have one has been foiled again...

I think I've read people refer to the rhizomes as 'stolons' not really sure if that makes more sense or more correct...

Cheers
T