The yellow lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) is a beautiful wildflower that grows in moist, rich, rocky woods and slopes.

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The name calceolus in Latin means "little shoe" in reference to the slipper-like shape of the flower. While these wildflowers used to be common in our local woodlands, they are becoming scarce due to browse from white-tailed deer, competition from non-native species, and loss of woodland habitat.
  
For the last decade, Conservancy staff has been monitoring a patch of yellow lady's slipper orchids growing at one of our preserves. Recently, we worked with staff from Mt. Cuba Center and Longwood Gardens in an attempt to re-introduce these wildflowers back into our woodlands. We met with Phil Oyerly, greenhouse manager for Mt. Cuba Center, to pollinate the flowers we've been monitoring on our preserve. Phil took a pollen sac from a small patch of Cypripedium to pollinate the ovaries of another patch several yards away. This cross-pollination ensures genetic variety among the population. In 60 to 90 days, seeds should form on the recently pollinated plants. Once the seeds develop, we will collect some of them to grow in the greenhouses of Longwood Gardens and Mt. Cuba Center. Later, these plants will be transplanted back into the woodlands. Though it is a rather tedious process and success is not guaranteed, this is one way we are helping to restore our woodlands and protect our native plants.

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