Cypripedium kentuckiense

Common Names

Southern Lady's Slipper Orchid, Kentucky Lady's Slipper Orchid, Kentucky Lady's Slipper, Southern Lady's Slipper

Summary

Cypripedium kentuckiense is a large, clump-forming terrestrial orchid native to the southeastern United States, with underground creeping rhizomes and 2-9 pubescent leaves along stems reaching 18-30 inches tall. It bears a single large flower, up to about 5 inches across, featuring a creamy ivory to pale yellow slipper-shaped lip flanked by two greenish-purple, mottled petals and three wavy sepals; the flower is among the largest in the genus Cypripedium. The plant grows in deciduous hardwood forests with moist, well-drained soils, often acidic, and has a terminal inflorescence. For cultivation, it prefers moist, well-drained soils in partial shade with shelter; propagation is by division in early spring, with immediate replanting, and wild digging is discouraged due to rarity and transplant difficulties. It forms large clumps and is suitable for woodland gardens, underplanting shrubs, or moist garden borders; mycorrhizal fungi associations can aid establishment, and mulching with leaf mould provides winter protection; it tolerates cool climates and winter cold, with protection from slugs and gray molds.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1-3.5 feet

Spread

12-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3a-8b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained acidic soil

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soil.

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Cream to pale yellow

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow to Light Brown

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

5–10 years

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts carpenter bees and the noctuid moth Polychrysia morigera