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By slipperfreak at 2007-07-17 00:52
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Pronunciation: sip-re-PEE-dee-um ak-AWW-lee Genus Description: Cypripedium acaule is commonly called pink lady's slipper, stemless lady's slipper, or mocassin flower. It is a widespread species found across Canada and the United States. It grows mainly in coniferous forests but can also be found in roadside ditches, railway gradings, and similar areas. It is a unique species with a pair of oval, basal leaves and a tall, leafless stalk bearing a single flower, which is ususally pink but can be white as in forma album. This is a beautiful plant but is known as a very tricky species to grow. The secrets to this plant's successful cultivation will be discussed here. Light: This species will grow best in bright open shade. Without some light in the morning it will often not flower. However, too much light (afternoon light) will burn the leaves and flowers. Temperature: As nature provides. If grown in pots, a cool greenhouse or alpine house provides good temperatures of around 20C during the day and 10C at night. Temps are flexible, but temps over 30C should be avoided and nights should be quite cool. The plant requires a cold dormancy period for 3-4 months over the winter, with reduced watering and temps near freezing. See my sheet on this genus for additional information. Watering: This species is quite sensitive to wet conditions. Crown rot can easily occur if overly moist conditions persist. To combat this, use a sandy soil and plant on a slope or raised bed. once established the plant can tolerate pretty dry conditions. Always use distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis (RO) water as the plant detests minerals and chemicals. It must have a pH of 3.5-5 (which is extremely acidic); mix vinegar in with your irrigation water every second watering or so (every watering is really best) to lower the pH. A rate of around 2 tbps per gallon of water is good. This plant will die VERY quickly if the pH is not low. Humidity & Air Movement: As nature provides. When in pots, air movement is essential. Tolerant of low humidity. Repotting and Dividing: Dividing is not recommended. Transplanting is not recommended. Repot only when absolutely necessary - use as large a pot as possible. Additional Notes: Hardy to zone 2. Only buy artificially-propagated plants. |
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