A wild Cyprepedium?

[RobS]

That you can buy them is not necessary linked to their conservation status. I understand the situation in North America can be different then in Europe but still their will be locations where only a few plants remain and if somebody would pick the flowers of a certain species every year the plants will not propagate and this population can die out easily.

Even is this is not an issue it's a selfisch thing to do as other people will not be able to enjoy them.

[ronaldhanko]

Rob is correct. That garden centers sell them does not mean they are not endangered in the wild. In fact, there are some garden centers that get their plants by collecting them illegally in the wild or getting them from those who do. We know of areas where wild orchids, both Lady's Slippers and Fairy Slippers have been wiped out by such practices. One area where Fairy Slippers grew by the thousands now has only the holes from which they were dug. Buying them is a legitimate option but one should check carefully to make sure the vendor is growing the plants legitimately.

[Tindomul]

Aren't they prone to death when taken from the wild? I would have thought it not profitable to take them from the wild when they are commonly available in cultivation. Why not just mericlone? Thanks.

[Wrebbitrocks]

i think if i ever saw one in the wild i'd bring along a toothpick and handpollinate them to see if seed pods could occur. is that illegal too?

[ronaldhanko]

Hand-pollinating them is not illegal, but the pods should be left for them to spread naturally. As to their viability in culture, the Yellow Lady's Slipper is one of the easiest to grow in cultivation and thus especially prone to collecting.

[Vanda lover]

I once dug up a clump when we lived in Ontario, and it grew happily in my garden for years. It's such a shame that the cool climate orchids only bloom for a few weeks! They are so pretty!

[Amanda L]

It's really beautiful and such a pity that you picked it. It would be wise to carry your camera with you when walking in the woods, or go back later to snap a picture. Wanting to take a picture and to show someone is not a good excuse for picking plants, even if only the flower was picked, out of the wild. We all need to do our part in protecting the wild plant and animal species.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by Amanda L

It's really beautiful and such a pity that you picked it. It would be wise to carry your camera with you when walking in the woods, or go back later to snap a picture. Wanting to take a picture and to show someone is not a good excuse for picking plants, even if only the flower was picked, out of the wild. We all need to do our part in protecting the wild plant and animal species.

This is one that is very common in some areas. Mine were very happy in the garden. I dug mine from a dry roadside spot, where they may not have survived the summer.

[lambelkip]

Originally Posted by Vanda lover

This is one that is very common in some areas. Mine were very happy in the garden. I dug mine from a dry roadside spot, where they may not have survived the summer.

When you dug up those plants, they had already survived several summers in that spot, or they would not have been large enough to notice. Roads are generally designed so that any rain drains off to the sides, which creates an environment that is suitable for a variety of orchids. It may have been dry when you visited, but I'm sure it gets plenty of water year round.

This particular species is classified as endangered in Manitoba, and threatened elsewhere in Canada. It is also illegal to take plants without permission of the owner. unless it was on your own private road, the plants you took are stolen property. Leave wild orchids for others to enjoy.

[silken]

They are a protected species here in Canada and it is against the law to remove them from their habitat. I don't know about picking the flowers.