Hello everyone, This is my first post and I'm new to the site. Let me say I've been searching for some information on plants and I'm so glad I happened upon this site. I live in New Carrollton, Maryland. One day, while out walking in a park my fiance' and I decided to tread off the beaten path and went back into the woods and found this plant. It is absolutely beautiful and was sitting in an open space all alone. There were no other plants like it nearby and it was very solitary. I thought this odd but had the forethought to take some pictures with my camera phone. The flowering part was like a blown up sack. I attempted to get a photo from the front and back to display this. I've attached them here and if anyone could provide me any information on the plant I would greatly appreciate it. (Also if it is poisonous or not since my fiance' and I have been speculating on that.) Thanks, Starfire69
I thought C. calceolus had a yellow pouch.....Perhaps the Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium acaule) is a better match?
Thank you sooo much. That's exactly what it is. But just pink. It was the only one out there and now reading up on it I see it has become rare. I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to save it, or protect it, or something. Thanks again, Starfire69
It's not listed as one of the rare, threatened and endangered plants of Maryland (I'm guessing there are a lot of pine forests in the state?), but I suspect it may still be worthwhile to report it to Maryland Natural Heritage Program, so they can add its location to their database.
Ok...I found the pink lady's slipper on Wikipedia and it doesn't seem to be in any danger which makes me feel considerably better. :-) I'll continue to read up on it. Thanks everyone. This is my first forum ever and this has been very exciting. Thank you all for all of your information and quick responses. Sincerely, Starfire69
Thanks Daniel. I saw that as well. I'll definitely use the directory. I didn't know there even was such a thing. This is wonderful. :-)
Orchids stay around as long as the habitat remains unchanged. The general pattern is for North American terristrial orchids to be on the decline, so if this one appears to be holding on for the moment it may soon not be. All it may take for an entire colony of orchids to disappear from a site is for a road to be built nearby, that admits squirrels which then gobble up a population of Calypso bulbosa in formerly deep woods or causes a ridge-top patch of Cypripedium montanum to be eliminated by elk.
