Cypripedium Gabriela gx 'Kentucky Maxi'

RHS Plant Profile
lady's slipper orchid 'Kentucky Maxi'

Synonyms

Cypripedium Kentucky Maxi

Herbaceous Perennial

a hardy, garden orchid producing upright stems with large, oval, veined leaves. The flowers, produced in late spring or early summer, have greenish yellow, twisted petals, marked with fine, deep red stripes, and a large, lemon-yellow pouch with a few red spots near the mouth and dark red lines inside

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Orchidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus
Cypripedium are terrestrial orchids with slender rhizomes and soft fan-shaped leaves, spirally arranged or in opposite pairs. Flowers are born in racemes of up to 12 flowers during summer have white, pink, red or purple tepals and a yellow, white, pink or purple pouch
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, fertile, leafy, humus-rich slightly alkaline soil in a sheltered site with dappled or partial shade - ideally with some morning sunshine. Provide an annual winter mulch of leaf mould

Propagation

Propagate by division in early or mid-spring and replant immediately. Some of the soil from the root ball, which contains beneficial fungi, should be planted with each division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required, allow foliage to die down naturally

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds