Specimen record
Pink Lady's Slipper
Cypripedium acaule
Conservation note
Do not collect — photograph only. Populations are declining and plants depend on specific mycorrhizal fungi. Listed as a species of Special Concern in Massachusetts.
Description
A stunning native orchid of dry acidic woods under pines and oaks. The inflated pink pouch-shaped lip is unmistakable. This orchid depends on a specific mycorrhizal fungus for germination and growth, making it virtually impossible to transplant. Plants may take 10–15 years to flower from seed. It is uncommon and declining across much of its range due to habitat loss and over-collection.
Identification tips
- 1Large inflated pink pouch (labellum) with darker pink veining and a cleft down the front
- 2Two broad, pleated basal leaves with parallel venation lying close to the ground
- 3Single flower atop a hairy scape 20–40 cm tall
- 4Lateral petals and sepals greenish-brown, twisted and spreading
- 5Found in dry, acidic soils under pine and oak canopy
Specimen & preservation notes
DO NOT COLLECT. Photograph only. This species is protected or of conservation concern in many states and depends on mycorrhizal fungi that cannot survive collection. If a found-dead specimen is available (e.g., trampled), press the flower carefully by slicing the pouch open to flatten it.
Habitats
Collection calendar
| Wk | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 |
Collection notes
Season check
Guide window matches observed bloom.
Flowering records: 2776 iNaturalist observations, Massachusetts · Nearby: 1980 observations within 25 km