SafePlants

Small White Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium candidum)

The Small White Lady's Slipper, scientifically known as Cypripedium candidum, is a captivating and rare orchid. It's also commonly referred to as the White Lady's Slipper.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Cypripedium candidum
• Common Names: Small White Lady's Slipper, White Lady's Slipper
• Family: Orchidaceae (orchid family)

Distribution and Habitat

This orchid is native to eastern North America and is scattered across seventeen states in the United States and two Canadian provinces (Manitoba and Ontario). It prefers open areas of prairie and dry hillsides, thriving in prairies with tall grasses.

Morphology and Growth Habits

• The Small White Lady's Slipper is a perennial orchid, typically growing to a height of 20 to 36 cm (approximately 8 to 14 inches), although some sources mention a height of 6 to 12 inches.
• It grows from a rhizome and forms a bunch of 3 to 60 stems.
• The mostly white flowers bloom in May and early June.
• The flower features a distinctive white, sac-like lower petal, often called a "slipper." It typically has one or two irregular flowers, each about 1 inch long, featuring a white pouch and a yellow column. Some varieties also present purple veins inside.

Ecological Role

The Small White Lady's Slipper is considered an endangered species, prone to extinction due to habitat loss and other factors. It is provincially and nationally endangered in Manitoba and Ontario.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• The pleasing aroma of the flower attracts small solitary bees. However, the bees become trapped inside the pouch and find no nectar as a reward.

Quirky Facts

• It seems likely that Cypripedium candidum was actually a common species on the prairies of southern and western Minnesota.

Further Information

For more information, you can consult resources from the Endangered Resources Program or COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada), as well as online databases of Ontario Wildflowers.