Cypripedium x ventricosum Red - Lady Slipper Orchid

The Cypripedium x ventricosum 'Red' is a variety of Lady's Slipper that is vigorous and easy to grow, provided its requirements are met. It produces flowers in May-June, consisting of a prominent yellow lip, maculated and streaked with purple-pink, topped with twisted yellow petals streaked with the same purple-pink. The overall impression is more purple-pink than yellow. Give it a semi-shaded position in light, well-draining, humus-bearing soil but not too rich, moist, or slightly damp.

Cypripedium x ventricosum is a natural hybrid between Cypripedium macranthos and Cypripedium calceolus. The former is found in the undergrowth and fields of Siberia, Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan. The latter is a spectacular species in Europe, the most well-known species on our continent. It has become rare in its natural habitat but is still found in a few rare Alps locations or mountain ranges.

The Cypripedium x ventricosum 'Red' has a perennial sucker-forming rootstock. Its thick underground rhizome elongates and divides over the years, allowing the plant to spread in colonies. Its roots penetrate deeply into the soil. They are mycorrhizal, meaning they live in symbiosis with specific fungi. Absent in winter, the deciduous vegetation emerges from the ground between April and May. This Cypripedium forms small clumps of 2 to 6 leafy stems, reaching about 45 cm in height. Each hairy stem bears 3 to 5 sheathing leaves at the base, broadly ovate, marked by parallel solid veins, light green in colour, and slightly hairy on the underside. Flowering occurs in May-June, earlier or later, depending on the climate and the year. Each individual produces only one or two flowers in the axils of bracts. Each flower, measuring up to 10 cm wide, consists of 3 sepals and three petals. These tepals are elongated, tapered, lanceolate in shape, slightly twisted. Their colour is a yellow-washed purple-pink. The swollen lip, shaped like a 'slipper', is yellow streaked and washed with purple-pink. The fruit capsule can persist on the plant for a year.

The Cypripedium x ventricosum 'Red' is a perfectly hardy variety that multiplies rapidly in pots and the garden as long as the conditions are suitable. It thrives in forest edges, preferring light soil that retains some moisture without being waterlogged. Plant it in a location that receives not too intense shade, in a cool rockery, an ideal habitat for it to thrive and enhance your garden with its unique presence. Pair it with a simple fern-like Polypodium vulgare and the flowering of Trilliums and Lamium orvala. It also thrives in containers and unheated greenhouses. It is a plant that dislikes heat, drought, and strong winds.

When you receive your orchids, handle them with care: these plants produce few roots and are delicate!