Vine's Flora Friday: The Pink Lady Slipper

The Pink Lady Slipper is a wild orchid native to the eastern half of the U.S. It is highly endangered because of its fragile and complicated reproduction cycle.

Two long leaves growing out of the ground form the base of the plant with a singular stalk shooting up from between them. The foot long stalk bears one magenta or light pink flower, which can sometimes be yellow.  Rarely the entire flower is pure white, and those who have seen a White Lady Slipper are very honored.


Lady Slippers require pollination to create seeds. The wild orchid tricks the bee into wriggling through the front slit of its flower with its luxurious scent and bright colors. The arthropod finds no reward and escapes the pouch, in the process vacating the premises through a different exit and collecting the plants pollen.

After being produced and dispersed, the seeds must be buried where a special fungi grows in the moist earth. This fungi opens the seed and provides it with nutrients, because Lady Slipper seeds do not have their own food supply like other seeds to help them grow. From the time the seed is buried to when it sprouts is much longer than other flowers. After the precious plant reaches maturity, it can live for up to 20 years while in turn providing the helpful fungi with nutrients. This symbiotic relationship is one of the reasons why Lady Slippers are so rare. The fungi which aids the orchid is not found everywhere in the soil.

My family just discovered a whole patch of Lady Slippers sprouting up this Spring at our new house! We counted at least 12! I am thrilled to know that this discovery means that Lady Slippers are at least 12 more strong in their battle for survival.