Yellow Lady's Slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- sy-prih-PEE-dee-um par-vi-FLOR-um
- Description
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Yellow lady's-slipper is a native orchid found in forested areas, open meadows and along streams of the United States and Canada. It is found in the Piedmont and mountains of NC. The leaves are usually hairy and the unusual flower occurs in late spring to early summer. The slipper-like flowers have a bright yellow lower lip that is red-spotted inside. The upper sepals are light to dark burgundy and twist outward in spirals. Deer love to eat this plant.
The plant varies per region as to the size of the flower and leaves and the amount of hairiness on the leaves and stems. The variety found in NC is var. parviflorum. It is listed as imperiled.
Yellow lady's-slipper is one of the easier orchids to grow in the garden. It will need to be planted on compost-amended soil where the roots can be spread out horizontally on top of the soil, then covered in compost since the roots do not grow into the soil like most plants. It prefers partial shady conditions and will form colonies over time. Use in a native woodland garden.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- var. exiliens
Found in Alaska and is rare and imperiled - var. makasin
northeastern and central U.S. and Canada and has strongly scented flowers - var. parviflorum
Found in mid-Atlantic states, smaller flowers - var. pubescens
More southernly range than var. makasin
- var. exiliens
- var. exiliens, var. makasin, var. parviflorum, var. pubescens
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- var. exiliens
Found in Alaska and is rare and imperiled - var. makasin
northeastern and central U.S. and Canada and has strongly scented flowers - var. parviflorum
Found in mid-Atlantic states, smaller flowers - var. pubescens
More southernly range than var. makasin
- var. exiliens
- var. exiliens, var. makasin, var. parviflorum, var. pubescens
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cypripedium
- Species:
- parviflorum
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada and U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK
- Wildlife Value:
- Damaged by deer. Pollinated by bees
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Seedpods split open to release fine seeds that are carried by the wind
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1-2 flowers per stem are 1.5 to 2 inches long. The petals and sepals range from pale to deep magenta-brown and twist outwards in spirals. The lower lip is pouch-like, intense yellow with reddish spotty venation inside. Flowers can vary depending on the region. Blooms late spring to early summer.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3-5 light to medium green leaves with darker venation are oval to ovate, up to 6 inches long and 4 inches across. The base is clasping to the stem. Hairs present.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- 4-5 stems per plant and covered with hairs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
