Lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus)
Care, watering, light and tips for Lady's slipper orchid on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Orchidaceae
- Difficulty: Demanding
- Watering: every 7 days
- Light: Indirect light
- Temperature: 15–30 °C
About Lady's slipper orchid
Cypripedium calceolus, commonly known as the Yellow Lady's Slipper, is a rare and spectacular terrestrial orchid, prized for its distinctive bright yellow slipper-shaped flowers with twisted brownish or purplish sepals and petals. Its natural elegance makes it ideal for well-drained shade gardens or woodland rockeries, where its presence adds an exotic and refined touch. It is a slow-growing plant that rewards patience with impressive blooms.
Native range
Europe and parts of Asia, ranging from the United Kingdom to Siberia and northern China.
Care tips
It requires a location with partial shade or filtered light, avoiding direct midday sun. The substrate must be very well-drained, rich in organic matter, and with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH; a mix of pine bark, perlite, and compost is suitable. Keep the substrate consistently moist during the growing season, but never waterlogged, and reduce watering in winter. A common mistake is disturbing its roots, as they are very sensitive to transplanting, so it's best to plant it and let it establish itself.
How to save a dying Lady's slipper orchid
- Warning signs
- Soft, yellowing leaves or dark spots; no flowering or deformed flowers; rot at stem base.
- First aid
- Repot into well-draining, airy substrate (peat, perlite, bark). Ensure partial shade and good ventilation. Reduce watering.
- What kills it
- Overwatering, heavy compacted substrate, direct sun exposure or extreme heat. Does not tolerate salts.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if rot isn't too advanced and rhizome is firm. Act quickly.