Fairy slipper orchid
Fairy slipper orchids (aka Lady slipper orchid, scientific name Calypso bulbosa) lit by a rare beam of sunlight below the dense forest canopy where they thrive. The flowers emerge early in the summer and last only a few days before wilting. They lure pollinators by producing a scent that mimics nectar producing flowers, although the orchid flowers lack nectar. They are named for Calypso, a Greek nymph who lured Odysseus to her Island so he could be her husband.
Fairy slipper orchids are widespread throughout the Northern hemisphere, occurring in cool shaded environments. They produce a single leaf in the fall that overwinters under snow, ready to photosynthesize in the early spring following snowmelt.
Fairy slipper orchid
Fairy slipper orchids (aka Lady slipper orchid, scientific name Calypso bulbosa) lit by a rare beam of sunlight below the dense forest canopy where they thrive. The flowers emerge early in the summer and last only a few days before wilting. They lure pollinators by producing a scent that mimics nectar producing flowers, although the orchid flowers lack nectar. They are named for Calypso, a Greek nymph who lured Odysseus to her Island so he could be her husband.
Fairy slipper orchids are widespread throughout the Northern hemisphere, occurring in cool shaded environments. They produce a single leaf in the fall that overwinters under snow, ready to photosynthesize in the early spring following snowmelt.