Spotted Lady's Slipper
Cypripedium guttatum
- Native to:
- Aleutian Is., Belarus, Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine, United States
iNaturalist: © ivansilchenko (iNaturalist #137987628)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Genus:
- Cypripedium
- Species:
- Cypripedium guttatum
- USDA Symbol:
- CYGU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Epiphyte
- Height:
- 30 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white, purple
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers organic matter-rich environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–180 days
- Notes:
- Requires mycorrhizal fungal symbiont for germination and establishment; extremely difficult to germinate from seed without specialized laboratory techniques.
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