Cypripedium reginae

RHS Plant Profile
showy lady's slipper orchid

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Cypripedium reginae?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
showy lady's slipper orchid RHS
showy lady's slipper orchid RHS

Synonyms

Cypripedium 'Regina'

Award of Garden Merit
Herbaceous Perennial
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
1 Suppliers

A deciduous orchid to around 60cm high with oval, bright green, prominently veined and hairy leaves 10-25cm long. In late spring and summer white flowers up to 5cm long with a pouched white-streaked pink lip are borne either singly or in groups of two to three

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

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

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
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
Correct
Plant Range
Eastern N America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, fertile, leafy, humus-rich soil in a sheltered site with dappled or partial shade. 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
  • Patio and container plants
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, allow foliage to die down naturally

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds