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Native Plant Database

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Cypripedium reginae (Showy lady's slipper)
McAdoo, David R.

Cypripedium reginae Walt.

Showy lady's slipper

Orchidaceae (Orchid Family)

USDA Symbol: CYRE6

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A stout, hairy, often twisted, leafy stalk bearing 1-3 large flowers with a white and pink, pouch-like lip petal.

This plant, the tallest and most beautiful of our northern native orchids, is especially common in the Great Lakes region. It has been overpicked and should be protected from further exploitation. Small White Ladys Slipper (C. candidum), a smaller plant, has a little flower with a white lip petal; it occurs in limestone soil and boggy places from Saskatchewan east to Ontario and New York, south to Virginia and Alabama, west to Missouri, and north to Nebraska and the Dakotas.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Flower:
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , SK
Native Distribution: Saskatchewan east to Newfoundland, south to North Carolina, west to Arkansas, and north to Minnesota and North Dakota.
Native Habitat: Swamps and moist woods, especially limestone sites.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Soil Moisture: Moist

Benefit

Warning: The glandular hairs of the foliage may cause a rash similar to that caused by Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). POISONOUS PARTS: Glandular, irritating hairs on leaves. Symptoms include skin irritation after contact. Toxic Principle: Unidentified.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cypripedium reginae in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cypripedium reginae in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cypripedium reginae

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-11-11
Research By: TWC Staff

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