Cypripedium kentuckiense
Kentucky lady's slipper orchid
A hardy, deciduous garden orchid producing a clump of upright stems up to 70cm tall, with large, elliptic leaves 20cm long and 5-10cm wide. The plant flowers in late spring with a single-flowered terminal inflorescence. Flowers are up to 12cm large, with sepal and petals yellow-green, mottled with purple-brown
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Cream Yellow Brown | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming, Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Cypripedium are terrestrial orchids with slender rhizomes and soft fan-shaped leaves, spirally arranged or in opposite pairs. Flowers are born in racemes of up to 12 flowers during summer have white, pink, red or purple tepals and a yellow, white, pink or purple pouch
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- SE USA
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in moist, free-draining soil, poor in organic matter; ideally in a sheltered site with dappled or partial shade. Some early morning sun is allowed. Provide an annual winter mulch of fresh leaf mould (oak or beech is preferred). If grown in pots, use 1-part organic matter to 2-parts of inorganic matter in the compost mix. Use gritty sand or crushed clay pebbles to improve drainage, but ensure that plants in pots do not completely dry out during actively growing season. Protect the new shoot from slug damage in spring
Propagation
Propagate by division from large, established clumps in early spring and replant immediately. Some of the soil from the root ball, which contains beneficial fungi, should be planted with each division
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Rock garden
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning
No pruning required, allow foliage to die down naturally
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey moulds
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