Quick Characteristics:
| Height: | 70-80 cm (2.3-2.6 ft) |
| Flower Colors: | white, brown |
Cypripedium kentuckiense is found in the central portion of the United States including Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Cypripedium kentuckiense has the largest flower of the genus Cypripedium.
Originally thought to be an aberrant form of Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens, the morphology of Cypripedium kentuckiense suggests it is a species of its own. However, molecular evidence is that Cypripedium kentuckiense is more closely related to Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum than it is to Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens.
Common names include the Kentucky lady's slipper and southern lady's slipper.
The photographs below are by Robin Hansen, who writes. One was taken in a friend's rock garden in Z 9 on the southwest Oregon coast and the other is taken after the plant was dug and put in a container. It was purchased from professional growers in California many years ago. It is in a pot on my deck and is watered regularly, with fertilizer lightly once or twice a year when I remember. It gets full light but not much direct sun and has bloomed profusely since I dug it three years ago. It gets very good air circulation and I've not so far had any problems with pests or diseases. I asked an acknowledged orchid expert and she said when they are dormant to completely and carefully remove all soil, then using a sharp knife cut sections with at least one eye, but this is large enough that I should be able to include more eyes per division.
