Cypripedium (_calceolus_ × _montanum_)
A hardy, deciduous garden orchid producing a clump of upright stems with large, bright-green, fan-shaped leaves up to 20cm long. 9-12cm large flowers produced in late spring and early summer have twisted brown-burgundy petals and a cream pouch. Each stem carries one to three flowers
0.1-0.5 metres
0.1-0.5 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Grow in moist, free-draining soil, poor in organic matter; ideally in a sheltered site with dappled or partial shade. Some early morning sun is allowed. Provide an annual winter mulch of fresh leaf mould (oak or beech is preferred). If grown in pots, use 1-part organic matter to 2-parts of inorganic matter in the compost mix. Use gritty sand or crushed clay pebbles to improve drainage, but ensure that plants in pots do not completely dry out during actively growing season. Protect the new shoot from slug damage in spring. Leaf coloration is a good indicator of health - they should always be bright green. Yellowish-green leaves indicated poor health or too much light
Propagate by division from large, established clumps in early spring and replant immediately. Some of the soil from the root ball, which contains beneficial fungi, should be planted with each division
No pruning required, allow foliage to die down naturally
May be susceptible to slugs
May be susceptible to grey moulds