Hi all! New to forum (and Cyps).

[cypriloveium]

Hi everyone,

I live in Maryland, in a neighborhood of mature trees, and after I ran out of my few sunny spots I turned to planting east coast american natives in my shade and dappled shade gardens. That's how I came across lady slippers. (Or is it lady's slippers?) I bought some large yellow lady slippers in Fall 2004, planted them in a garden I prepared as best I could for them, and crossed my fingers. (They were propagated by division - not wild collected.) I was so excited when they came up. And when they blossomed I was hooked! This past spring (their second) they doubled so I guess they're "happy".

Having some small success, I wanted to plant another cyp. this Fall. I settled on the Kentucky lady slipper, since it is beautiful (or course) and reputed to be similar to the yellow slipper in its cultivation. Afterall, I'm still in the flat part of the learning curve! I bought 3 yo plants, so I'll have to wait a while for blooms, and planted them today. Like before, I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best this coming spring.

I also bought some spiranthes cernua from the National Arboratum native plant sale this past spring (from Doyle Farm Nursery). They are in bloom now and are truly lovely. A nice native orchid for the Fall.

If anyone wants to give me advice on growing slippers in the garden please feel free to do so! In the meantime I'll learn as much as I can by catching up on the current posts on the site. Thanks everybody!

-Helen

 

[Marco]

Welcome to the forum Helen and congrats on the Cyps. As soon as I own my own place with a viable lawn of some sort I hope to give the cyps a try

 

[kentuckiense]

It's about time we get another Cyp fan on here!

 

[Heather]

Hi Helen! I like your nickname, quite creative!

I don't grow cyps yet but I would like to someday. Jump right in and enjoy the forum.

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

Welcome aboard!

You'll find there are lots of Cyps that will do quite well for you! Just about all the hybrid ones will thrive, and you could probably do the Showy Lady's Slipper too (Cyp. reginae).

Jon
________
Marijuana vaporizer

 

[cypriloveium]

Thanks for the welcome everyone!

Yeah Jon, I thought about Reginae, but I'm on the border of being too warm for it (zone 7). With the right placement it could work, but I want to wait until I have more experience before I start "pushing the envelope". Or should I say "pushing the checkbook"?? First things first, will be to not kill my new little kentuckiense!

I won't ask you all to explain the differences between phafs, phrags, etc., (since you must get that a thousand times). But, I do know that the photos on this site are quite nice! I'm almost afraid to learn about them since it might start an additional habit.

-Helen

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

Very easy, and glad to oblige.

In simplist terms, Paphs are from Asian countries, Phrags are from South and Central America, Cyps are from North America and Europe, and Mexipediums are from Mexico. The differences in plant and flower morphology can get lenghty, but in a short amount of time you should be able to spot them just from looking at pics.

Here's a pic of Phragmipedium besseae on the left, Cypripedium pubescens in the middle, and Paphiopedilum rothschildianum on the right:

Hope that helps.

Jon
________
Nevada marijuana dispensary

 

[PHRAG]

That photo makes me smile every time I see it.

Welcome to the forum! I hope you do develop a new habit. We are great at temptation around here, so I see a single paph purchase in your future. Then maybe another, and another... you get the idea.

 

[kentuckiense]

Helen-

I'd highly encourage you to give Cyp. reginae a try. I don't really know where in Maryland you live, but Cyp. reginae is known to occur in North Carolina in counties that border South Carolina. Sure, they are in the mountains, but that's pretty far south! Also, I've heard good things about Cypripedium candidum. Unfortunately, the big Cyp flaskers/nurseries tend to sell out pretty quick.

 

[Heather]

Listen to Kent there... he knows of what he speaks!

 

[kentuckiense]

Listen to Kent there... he knows of what he speaks!

Haha! Not really... I don't even grow any!

 

[Heather]

Haha! Not really... I don't even grow any!

Sorry, just saw 'Real Genius'.

 

[cypriloveium]

Ok, we've got Jon's beautiful picture. Kent's Reginae tempting post followed by Heather's encouragement. You know you are all a bunch of slipper addiction enabler's!

Actually Kent, while Reginae is native in the Appalacian areas of Maryland, I've heard that they can be found in Greenbelt Park (a Suburb of DC) as well as in some other DC locales (presumably from being planted). So they should be able to grow in the north Baltimore area (where I live) with careful site placement. I was REALLY tempted to get some this Fall, but then wimped out. Or maybe, it was some common sense breaking through! (Naah, I don't have any of that.) In any case I'm sure I'll break down by next Fall, especially if my Kentuckiense come up this spring. Nothing like a little over confidence to get yourself in trouble!

-Helen

 

[NYEric]

Hi, and welcome. I think you Cyp people are crazy:drool: The spiranthes are a good choice and easy to grow, [I grew some in the NY Catskills] I would also recommend calypsos and blettias.

 

[SlipperFan]

I can only repeat everyone's "Welcome to the Forum." I went to the dark side this Fall -- made a Cyp bed and have 6 plants. Can Spring come quickly enough? Actually, I doubt they are blooming size yet...

 

[cypriloveium]

Thanks for the welcome NYEric and Dot,

"Crazy" is certainly what friends and relatives think. But, heck what do they know?

Yeah the ladies tresses were soooo easy by comparison to slippers, both to grow and acquire. (I paid $7 per plant.) At first it was confusing, "grows easily, doesn't require a second mortgage, hmmm?". They are said to spread also. I'll be getting more of them this spring.

What kind of cyps did you get Dot? They're all beautiful.

-Helen

 

[Gideon]

Hi Helen, and welcome to a great forum

 

[cypriloveium]

Thanks Gideon,
Nice website! Since my interest in cyps grew out of my interest in north american native plants (rather than from orchids) I'm not familiar with all of these "other" slippers. They're beautiful. You really have a lot of very nice photos on your site.

-Helen

 

[parvi_17]

Welcome Helen!

I've been growing Cyps myself for a few years. If your pubescens doubled they're definately happy and you'll probably have great success with kentuckiense in your climate. It does grow much the same as pubescens but likes a very sandy soil. I strongly encourage growing reginae; it's in my opinion the most beautiful Cyp and makes a fantastic garden plant.

Good luck with your Cyps!

Joe

 

[SlipperFan]

What kind of cyps did you get Dot? They're all beautiful.

I agree -- and very addictive, like just about all orchids, especially of the slipper kind!
Last Fall, I got a pubescens and an ulla silkins. They lived and grew where I had them, but I've subsequently learned I placed them in too shady a spot. So I created a new bed, planted then with a few hostas and astilbe, and then this Fall I purchased and planted two of each: parviflorum vr. parviflorum and reginae.
The only thing I don't like about the new bed is that I had to put a wire fence around the cyps -- something had gotten into one of them and nipped it off. Luckily, it was late in the year and they were about to go dormant.
So now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.