Cypripedium acaule

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by Keysguy

There's your key subrosa, higher edge of the bog. They can't survive the persistent wet of any sphag or peat bog. On the other hand, reginae loves a good fen.

The size of the bog let me mound up the substrate well above the water max water level, but the substrate wicks well, so nothing ever gets dry. I'm planning on a calcareous fen in front of the bog to catch the overflow. Reginae and candidum are definitely on the short list for that.

[Jmoney]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

The acid requirement is easy to fulfill in a typical Sphagnum bog set up used for carnivorous plants, and acaule does naturally grow on the edges of bogs. This plant has done well in a higher area of my bog, well above the maximum water level since I collected it from a neighbor's property 4 years ago. It was a small, prebloom plant that just flowered last year for the first time. This year it's developing an offset, so in a couple years I should see multiple spikes. In the constantly moist conditions it tolerates full sun:

that's great! peat moss in the mix? I dabble with sarracenia and have a few half barrel planters, kind of a mini-bog setup

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by Jmoney

that's great! peat moss in the mix? I dabble with sarracenia and have a few half barrel planters, kind of a mini-bog setup

Yup. It grows right next to Sarracenia. Imo a half barrel would be the smallest container I would consider for acaule, due to its root system. They don't send roots deep into the substrate like most plants. The roots radiate out from the crown like spokes of a wheel, a few inches deep. A first bloom plant will have a root system close to 3' in diameter, so they do need some room. Other plants can grow within that circle.

[PuiPuiMolcar]

Absolutely beautiful, it's one of my hiking wishlist to see these in the nature someday.

[Jmoney]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Yup. It grows right next to Sarracenia. Imo a half barrel would be the smallest container I would consider for acaule, due to its root system. They don't send roots deep into the substrate like most plants. The roots radiate out from the crown like spokes of a wheel, a few inches deep. A first bloom plant will have a root system close to 3' in diameter, so they do need some room. Other plants can grow within that circle.

interesting, so naturally their roots are shallow and therefore dry out quicker. I heard acaule may grow in much wetter environments than pine forests (i.e. boggy terrain) but have not tramped around our local wetlands much. I am hoping one day to grow reginae in a raised bed...

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by Jmoney

interesting, so naturally their roots are shallow and therefore dry out quicker. I heard acaule may grow in much wetter environments than pine forests (i.e. boggy terrain) but have not tramped around our local wetlands much. I am hoping one day to grow reginae in a raised bed...

I have an addition planned that will catch the overflow from my main bog that will be for calcium lovers like reginae, candidum, and some of the Asian species.

[Lowndes]

We have Cypripedium acaule (pink lady slippers) here in Atlanta, GA. (I think that's what they are, anyway)

I first learned of them in Upper Onterio on a Boy Scout trip thru the Boundary Waters and Quetico . We would come across entire hillsides covered with them in full bloom. After coming home I discovered them growing wild in my backyard. And, NO, they did not come home with me. The strange part is that they were all in a straight line from the rear property line thru a pine isle all the way to the mailbox.

We do not have real cold winters and the soil here is pure "Georgia red clay" which does not drain at all, but with a buildup of decaying pine needles they do just fine.

Pics here:
Pink Lady Slippers - Google Photos

[Roberta]

Wow, I didn't know that Cyps could grow as far south as Atlanta! I am amazed. Thank you so much for those photos!