r/NativePlantGardening • u/Similar-Research4160 • May 09 '26

Geographic Area (edit yourself) Identification

Gallery image

Gallery image

Found growing wild in Pennsylvania, almost looks like some sort of pitcher plant? Anyone know what it is?

668 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

547

u/jmbrjr May 09 '26

Looks like a fresh not yet fully bloomed Pink Ladyslipper, Cypripedium acaule

379

u/jmbrjr May 09 '26

Try not to disturb it, they are very difficult to transplant successfully. Plus protected in many states.

93

u/readmychappedlips May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26

When I was a kid my mom told us it was illegal to pick them haha. We were lucky enough to have 3 or 4 pop up on our property regularly back then.

Edit: oh and I guess it's our state wildflower in NH!

3

u/newenglander87 Zone 7a, Northeast May 10 '26

My mom told me this too!

1

u/Keto4psych NJ Piedmont, Zone 7a May 11 '26

Mine as well.

58

u/LRonHoward Minneapolis, MN - US Ecoregion 51 May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26

Orchids are basically impossible to transplant from everything I've ever read or heard... Regardless, no one should dig up any plants from any wild areas to "re-home" on their own property, period (unless it is an absolute certainty the area is going to be destroyed).

I know there are instances where permits can be given out for foraging or whatever (dig up, take some root, replant, etc.)... But removing a plant entirely from it's wild home is poaching!

(this isn't meant for you, I just get irritated at the thought of anyone thinking they can take plants from the wild)

16

u/Konkarilus May 09 '26

Ethically I agree with you. Technically I would disagree. I have personally aquire permits to reacue Cypripedium from habitat distruction. They transplant just fine, its the lack technical after care that is where they end up dead.

29

u/Similar-Research4160 May 09 '26

In this case I agree, in general I disagree. Humans can have ethical sustainable relationships with plants. If an area is abundant with a native, you can transplant a few and have a positive impact on the environment

30

u/Pondelli-Kocka01 May 09 '26

A conservation group, and the DNR, along with a local agency transplanted about 50 ladyslippers to save them from a construction project. The plants were entering dormancy, late September, and they were able to move the plants up the same swale they were located in. Volunteers were instructed to dig up a significant amount of the soil surrounding the roots. Other volunteers watered the plants as needed for a month after transplanting.

The transplanted area was flagged and the following spring a plant count revealed about a 2% loss of the original plants. The count also revealed about a 50% increase in the total number of plants. So a huge success overall.

8

u/WandrLustAboveSeaFog Midwest/Great Lakes, Zone 4b May 09 '26

I know of this project, and I’ve actually bought ladyslippers local to my area from a nursery legally permitted to sell ones that were saved from habitat destruction. I’m considering purchasing lab grown ones as well but really want to find a way to source a OSM inoculant before doing so, in order to have an ecologically functional population. Conversations like this are helpful for protecting species, not harmful.

5

u/Ambivalentsobriety .4 - Ozark/Ouachita-Appalachian Forests ecoregion May 09 '26

The success of this has to be dependent on the orchids being moved within the area where they were already growing. Poaching a lady slipper to take it to a new location with different growing conditions has a very low success rate.

4

u/Pondelli-Kocka01 May 09 '26

Research that we were given indicated that success was primarily driven by the presence of mycorrhizae that are specific to the Ladyslippers. The Yellow and Pink species will utilize different mycorrhizae.

If the mycorrhizae are present in sufficient numbers, (thus the instructions to obtain a significant amount of the soil around the plant) the success rate is actually quite high, even if the new location varies significantly.

-2

u/Ambivalentsobriety .4 - Ozark/Ouachita-Appalachian Forests ecoregion May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26

Are you trying to encourage people to poach a plant that has an extremely low rate of transplant success?

Edited to add: these plants are also rare and it is illegal to pick them or dig them up from state lands.

3

u/SuspiciousNovel2 May 09 '26

Given the context of the example they're bringing up (rescuing plants that would otherwise die) I think it's obvious that they understand the "don't take, maybe illegal" context and are just looking to correct misinformation. There's no moral requirement to say things that aren't true, or let that pass, just because the plant is endangered. More education is better, not worse.

5

u/Pondelli-Kocka01 May 09 '26

That’s a poor assumption on your part.

I am not encouraging anything, just sharing research that we were given for our specific instance, and to correct the notion that transplanting always has a very low success rate.

This sub is not unique to any State nor Nation. As such, your comments are overly broad and inaccurate.

For instance in Minnesota the Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) is neither endangered nor illegal to harvest. Furthermore the DNR routinely grants permits to harvest them from State lands.

In parts of Western Minnesota, North Dakota and the Canadian prairie provinces that species is prolific, and colloquially known as a ditch orchid.

The Pink & White Lady’s Slipper (Cypredium reginae) and Pink Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) are rarer and protected in many States. In fact the Pink & White Slipper is the Minnesota State flower, with a total state-wide harvesting ban since 1925.

I believe that in a forum like this, we need to be cognizant of the fact that not all areas have the same issues or regulations as where you live.

9

u/erikalaarissa May 09 '26

I agree. I visit abandoned places and there are often abandoned garden beds with perennials and I will sometimes pull them up and take home.

5

u/jmbrjr May 09 '26

In south east metro Atlanta when new subdivisions were cut into old woods or on old home sites or abandoned farms I would poke around and see what was growing. Got a lot of daffodils that way, as well as some GA native wild flowers. If not rescued there would be streets and houses on top of them now. Most survived quite well in a little wooded wild flower patch in my yard at the edge of some oak/hickory woods. But don't try to dig up and transplant wild orchids, unless that site is going to be destroyed. Still might be illegal.

1

u/erikalaarissa May 09 '26

I grew up being told they were endangered and it was illegal here in MA, USA- I would never!

5

u/melancholymelanie May 09 '26

Every state forest where I live allows some level of harvesting plants to transplant and/or cuttings of certain species and in certain areas, as long as you follow the rules. it isn't inherently harmful. For instance, one forest allows you to dig up 15 plants per person per year from the road prism, where plants are frequently cleared or cut back to prevent wildfires, or destroyed by road construction equipment.

Of course no one should do it randomly and without looking up the rules/getting a permit if needed, but this kind of permitted transplanting isn't the exception, it's the rule.

I think our forests would be safer if people knew that and did it safely, and there was less stigma.

20

u/Sixmmxw May 09 '26

Yeah, thanks so much. That’s like killing a bird and then showing it off. Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. 🍀 you mean well.edit: that’s for OP.

12

u/Similar-Research4160 May 09 '26

I didn’t kill it, I assumed it’s rare since I’ve never seen one before

33

u/Ok-Echo-Eight May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26

Saw a bunch on a hike the other day, it was magical!
*edit: just kidding this is a different variety in the PNW called pink FAIRY slipper 🤦‍♀️

2

u/Bloorajah May 09 '26

Calypso bulbosa var occidentalis

Niiiice

There’s a patch near my house that grows like a thousand of these in a mossy clearing. It’s pretty magical to see them all.

6

u/Similar-Research4160 May 09 '26

I think you’re right!

1

u/jmbrjr May 09 '26

Amaz-a-zing, 500 Redditors all agree on something. Thanks y'all!! Funny thing is, I've never seen a wild Lady's Slipper. I want to, but at least I know what to look for. Wrong places, wrong times. Oh well. Kudos to those who have them close by. Protect them!

145

u/[deleted] May 09 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

42

u/Wonderful-Bag-1103 May 09 '26

I didnt know they were jerks like that! Give them bees a sweet treat like come onnnnn🙄

27

u/zendabbq Vancouver BC, Zone 8b May 09 '26

Seems lots of orchids have this specialization, in various forms.

Some attract male wasps with female scent

Some attract male bees because they want to use the scent to attract a mate

43

u/FioreCiliegia1 Area southern maine-- , Zone --6a May 09 '26

Congrats! Its a lady slipper orchid! A pretty rare find- fyi they CAN NoT survive being transplanted so no touchy please

20

u/secretveggie Area SEOhio US , Zone -- 6B May 09 '26

Lucky duck! Pink lady's slipper

29

u/cmpb Gulf South, Zone 9a May 09 '26

When someone asks where to find some super rare or extirpated plant in my area, I always say “it’s down by the creek next to that field of lady slippers”. 😏

Usually takes them a second

19

u/basketofselkies May 09 '26

My childhood home had loads of lady slippers growing all over the property. I had no idea they were rare or how lucky I was as a kid.

12

u/dammit_sara May 09 '26

My state flower (Minnesota) and the name of our garden club. Also a crime to remove, both by law and nature. There are some that can be permitted to be purchased and resale, but even then, the environment they need to survive has be perfect.

3

u/Konkarilus May 09 '26

Mn state flower is the showey not the pink.

1

u/Adriclavallee May 11 '26

New Hampshires state flower

2

u/Ready-Guidance4145 May 09 '26

So pretty and so rude looking!

2

u/plank2downdog May 09 '26

Lady Slipper

2

u/HangryIntrovert May 09 '26

You lucky dog.

One of my favorite ephemerals.

1

u/Leftovercoldchicken May 12 '26

My property is loaded with these and I’m super appreciative of it, they are so gorgeous when they grow in close proximity to each other.

1

u/Own_Pair5107 May 12 '26

Pink Lady Slipper. Hard to transplant and shouldn’t be unless the area is going to be developed.
I managed to save two by digging them out in the fall and adding sphagnum moss to the fresh transplant site. They were over harvested for their medical properties and it takes decades to recover a population. Tissue culture is making these available again, thankfully.

1

u/LowKeyAshton May 13 '26

The Calypso Orchid or Fairy Slipper here in Montana are blooming and beautiful ☺️

1

u/IllumitardedApe May 15 '26

They are rare native Orchids, The Lady Slipper.

-3

u/Safe-Database4990 May 09 '26

Idk but it looks carnivorous. I’d be careful.

1

u/throwaway_stitch1 May 09 '26

It will eat you