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tadeusz5

Lady Slippers In Illinois/Wisc

tadeusz5
19 years ago

Hi all MG Friends;

Anyone growing Lady Slippers ?? What success you had with them, any failures, What special mix of soil ingredients do you use? I have Ordered some from Spangle Creek Labs (Minnesota)for a spring shipment to my garden.

Thanks for any input.

tadeusz

Comments (4)

  • virginia_w
    19 years ago

    I've had a yellow ladyslipper growing in my garden here in northern Wisconsin for 11 years. I bought it from the Flower Factory near Madison as a small plant. Now it typically produces 6 or 7 flowers. It is planted in shade under some birch trees. The soil was forest humus and I planted it in compost. I've given it no special care and it cheers my heart every year when it blooms. Good luck!
    Virginia

  • pitimpinai
    19 years ago

    It warms my heart to hear you are growing them. I have never seen them in this area. Good luck to both of you and thank you for sharing.

  • david_5311
    19 years ago

    Hi tadeusz. I grow yellow and kentucky ladyslippers in my garden, and neither is especially fussy for me. They grow in good, loose, bark-based amended soil without a problem, and are slowing increasing. I also have C. reginae growing in a little bog that I have. I know it will also grow in good garden soil, slightly acid to neutral pH. In Michigan, showy ladyslippers also occur in frankly alkaline habitats, fens and other areas with distinctly limey substrate. I have only had these for 2 years and the showies haven't bloomed yet. In the wild, at least in N Michigan and even in SE Michigan, showy ladyslippers usually grow in quite a lot of sun, but in a garden setting I have heard that they do better with some shade, especially if the habitat is not frankly wet.

    BTW, I have also amended the yellow/kentucky ladyslipper soil mix with a product called Biocomp, which is a mixture of bark and peanut hulls and some other organics. The plants seem to like it. A good grower friend turned me on to this stuff. Do a google search for it to see if it might be available near you, I get it from near Toledo OH.

  • tadeusz5
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    pitimpinai;

    State of Illinois itself at one time had numerous species of Orchids and still does, as the remnants from the prairies, like White Fringed, Lady Tresses and others are found growing in locations which were left undisturbed by the early settlers. Lady Slippers are here as well ,I know such a place, thru my volunteer work with VSN , but will never touch those, thus I resort to Lab propagated .

    -----------------

    Dave in Mich- thank you so much for the numerous info you have provided- I have been fortunate to obtain a Metro-Mix 366-P from Hummert International in St.Louis, Mo for most of my demanding plants, it's a great product. But i will look at your suggestion.

    tadeusz

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