Blanche DuBois always depended on the kindness of strangers. I am blessed with the fence painting of friends and neighbors.
Today Katherine presents:
Showy Ladyslippers (Cypripedium reginae) are Michigan natives. They grew in profusion Around Here in the early part of the last century. There are fewer these days, and we’re guarding them. (My beloved Stan Tekiela says that the plants take up to 15 years to mature and form flowers. Please do not pick the Showy Ladyslippers.)
Posted in: Everything else on Torch Lake Views
Torch Lake Views 
Karma
June 15, 2012
Love those flowers. I remember seeing them in the woods as a child, but they are a rarity now.
Gerry
June 16, 2012
Now you have a quest!
Belinda
June 15, 2012
They are so beautiful. My grandmother use to talk about them and the trilliums.
Gerry
June 16, 2012
Your grandmother had some good memories. If you schedule one of your visits for early to mid-June we will take you to see ladyslippers. (You’ll have to come in April for trilliums!)
Martha
June 15, 2012
Beautiful! I have never seen those before.
Gerry
June 16, 2012
Well I am glad to show them to you now! I think they grow in Wisconsin, too. They like to keep their feet wet, and to live in dappled shade.
sybil
June 15, 2012
I love Lady Slippers too.
Gerry
June 16, 2012
Excellent taste.
Dawn
June 16, 2012
My Mom used to look for lady slippers. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any in the wild. Though we don’t have all that much ‘wild’ down here.
Gerry
June 16, 2012
We have lots and lots of wild up here. We’ll share.
P.j. grath
June 18, 2012
Beautiful photo of the showy ladyslippers. One little spot we used to have many has been without them for a couple of years, but now they’re back. Another very secret place that had hundreds and hundreds has none this year. Mysterious! And certainly, DO NOT PICK! DO NOT DIG, EITHER!!!!
Gerry
June 24, 2012
Indeed. It is necessary to cover all the bases when it comes to protecting Showy Ladyslippers.
shoreacres
June 18, 2012
Some images of lady slippers were offered up this spring by a photographer from Montana. Were it not for those, this would have been my first glimpse. They’re well-named, and utterly beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
Gerry
June 24, 2012
I’m glad you liked them.
flandrumhill
June 21, 2012
I don’t know if it’s the flowers themselves or Katherine’s photography skills, but these appeal to me more than the ones that grow in my neck of the woods. Very striking image.
Gerry
June 24, 2012
Katherine did a fine job of capturing their lusciousness, but they are indeed luscious to begin with.
Robin
June 24, 2012
They’re beautiful. I saw quite a few lady slippers while in Canada, the first time I’ve ever seen them other than in photographs.
Gerry
June 24, 2012
There are a lot of good reasons for loving the North Country on both sides of the border. Ladyslippers and loons and white pines and autumn come to mind. There are quite a few days when that is enough. (We will not speak of February.)
Giiid
June 26, 2012
The wild Ladyslippers are rare and protected in Denmark, they are growing at only two places in the country. Protected or not, a few weeks ago someone stole 44 plants, which was 20 percent of the total numbers. 1 year in prison can be the price for doing such thing. Wonder how the other prisoners will think of a flower-criminal? Anyway the person has still not been found. The Danish name is Fruesko.
Gerry
June 27, 2012
Sometimes people seem to feel that what they want is the most important thing in the world. Assuming the Ladyslippers live at all, it will be 15 years before they are fully recovered. It would not go well for anyone who tried to uproot Torch Lake Ladyslippers, no indeed. Not well at all.