Ram's Head Lady's Slipper
Cypripedium arietinum
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
iNaturalist: © bill_spiers1 (iNaturalist #37947183)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Genus:
- Cypripedium
- Species:
- Cypripedium arietinum
- USDA Symbol:
- CYAR5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Epiphyte
- Height:
- 40 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, white, brown
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers shaded forest floors with organic matter
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–180 days
- Notes:
- Requires mycorrhizal association for germination and establishment; extremely difficult to germinate from seed without specialized fungal inoculation.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: Claude AI