Pink lady's slipper AKA Cypripedium acaule,  Large yellow lady's slipper AKA Cypripedium parviflorum pubescens,  Small yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum makasin

One often thinks of orchids as exotic and tropical plants, but there are eleven varieties of slipper orchids native to the United States.  In Connecticut, if you are fortunate enough while hiking through the forest, you may encounter a few of them.  These incredibly showy flowers bloom during the months of May and June. You are most likely to find the pink variety, but several varieties of yellow lady's slippers may cross your path as well.  They are Cypripedium parviflorum parviflorum the lesser or shorter of the two and Cypripedium parviflorum pubescens a taller yellow flowered variety covered in a fine fuzz and Cypripedium parviflorum makasin which has a strong fragrance. If you encounter any of these gorgeous plants, be certain not to disturb their growth.  They will not transplant successfully.  They are very slow growing plants taking up to five years to flower, and many require very specific growing conditions.  It is best to just take a photo with your phone and remember their beauty that way.  

The pink variety can be found growing from Canada south to Alabama.  It is found in all of New England and is New Hampshire's state flower.  All lady's slipper plants are considered terrestrial orchids as they get their nutrients from the ground rather than from the air as some other orchids do.  Though lady's slippers may not yet be considered endangered, they are becoming progressively scarcer, a result of plant poaching and habitat loss.  The pink variety prefers well drained acidic soil under pines and hemlock or oak trees.  

The flowers of these plants are pollinated by a variety of insects depending on the plant variety. The pollinator in the case of the pink variety is called the solitary bee. It is attracted to the flower and enters by parting the petals.  When it is inside it soon realizes that pink lady's slipper is a trickster.  There is no nectar, and it has been trapped as the pouch is not easily opened from the inside.  Seeing light through a small opening, the bee makes its way to it and wiggles its way out gathering a small bit of pollen from the anthers of the flower in the process.  A bit foolishly, that same bee enters another lady slipper flower distributing the pollen to its sticky stigma located at the opening thereby fertilizing the plant.  Some studies show it is only young bees that enter these flowers.  They do eventually learn it is not in their best interest to do so.  The tiny seeds borne on many Cypripedium plants do not carry sufficient nutrients to reproduce.  They lack an attached endosperm deposit.  Endosperm is the starchy portion of a seed that provides it with the jolt of nutrients and energy needed to break dormancy and begin its growth. Since its seeds lack endosperm, they need to get that nutritional boost another way.  Lady's slippers have a symbiotic relationship with a soil borne fungus called Rhizoctonia.  In the beginning the plant relies upon nutrients it obtains from this fungus for the seed to germinate and the plant to begin its growth cycle.  Once the plant is capable of photosynthesis, it returns the favor to the fungus by supplying it with sugar and nutrients that the fungus requires. This symbiotic relationship is called a mycorrhizal relationship.  It is a common relationship between many plants and fungi.  In addition to seed germination, at least some of these plants reproduce by rhizomes or roots that travel laterally underground.  This is why when you encounter one pink lady's slipper plant you will likely find others growing, forming a beautiful colony.

There is an Ojibwe legend about a brave young girl who rescues her tribal members from sickness by traveling across a frozen lake mid-winter to obtain mashkiki or medicine.  On the return trip, her feet which have become frozen and bloodied, leave footprints along the trail.  In the spring the path she took becomes lined with lady slippers to honor her bravery.  To listen to the legend, click on the link.  You will be redirected to the story Bing Videos.  Native Americans had medicinal uses for the roots of this plant which are said to provide a calming effect, however it is no longer sustainable to harvest the roots since the plant is becoming scarce, again from poaching and habitat loss.

Reputable nurseries have been successfully germinating seeds of these orchids in laboratories so it is now possible to purchase plants from them, but keep in mind the plant's slow growth habit and fussy nature as it may prove challenge to grow.