NEW LADY-SLIPPER VARIETIES

Offered at the New England Wild Flower Society Native Plant Nurseries

The remarkable native lady-slipper orchids raised in vigorous 60-year-old stock beds at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, such as the rare large yellow lady-slipper (Cypripedium pubescens) are among the Society's most popular plants for purchase. Last year, three gorgeous new lady's slipper hybrids are added to the Society's popular offering of these beloved spring-blooming wildflowers. Check the plant availability list online or phone 508-877-7630, ext. 3601, for information.

The new hybrid Cypripedium ‘Aki Light' (pubescens X macranthos) is pink and cream, blooms in May, likes shade and is hardy in zones 5-8. It reaches a height of 14 to 24 inches, prefers shade and moist, well-drained soils. It is a beautiful hybrid combining the vigorous large yellow lady-slipper with a deep red species. Larger in flower than Gisela, these will range from blush to dark pink with dark red sepals.

The second of the new offerings includes Cypripedium ‘Gisela' (parviflorum X macranthos). This hybrid reaches the same height as the previous plant, with the same bloom period and requires similar conditions. It has a spectacular color from light to dark pink with green and red accents.

And last but not least of the three is the lovely Cypripedium Ulla Silkens (reginae X flavum) hybrid that is taller at 18-26 inches and blooms a bit later, usually in June. It can take part-sun and prefers moist alkaline soil. It is hardy to zones 4-8. Some have deep pink pouches with blooms boasting fantastic mottling. Splendid!

These new additions join a spectacular group of nursery-propagated orchid offerings, also including C. kentuckiense (Kentucky Lady-slipper), C. reginae (showy Lady-slipper), and C. pubescens (large yellow lady-slipper). Many of these garden beauties are rare or endangered in the wild. Their price range is $29, $32, and $49. Proceeds support the conservation work of the Society.

“You've got to be careful about mature plants that you may see for sale at unbelievably low prices. “ says Bill Cullina, Nursery Director of the Society and author of the upcoming book “ Understanding Orchids," expected out around Christmas 2004 and published by Houghton Mifflin. “ Lady-slippers take 5-7 years to raise up to bloom size in the nursery. Mature plants costing too little may have been collected from the wild -- a practice that puts already endangered populations and habitats at risk. When in doubt, just make sure the plants were “nursery-propagated."

The Society offers more than 500 native plant species and cultivars, including both woody and herbaceous plants, for sale from April 15 through September 30.