I have seen lady slippers with roots that extended almost a foot on each side. They mainly grow in the duff here, not really down in the soil. So, I probably would not plant anything very near them.

I just learned that their fine seeds germinate better on disturbed ground, so it is good to "stir up' the fallen leaves to give space for those seeds to settle in, according to my source.

As for books, there are so many,and each one has different photos, which help with ID, as well as descriptions. I started with books focusing on NC, then the east in general, especially the northeast, so that I could cover the mountains of NC. Some are general, and some are more technical, with guides for keying out, such as Newcomb's book. You need to find a book for your zone.

As for gardening, one of the easiest to understand but with decent photos and cultural hints, including wildlife benefits, I would recommend 100 EASY-TO-GROW NATIVE PLANTS FOR AMERICAN GARDENS IN TEMPERATE ZONES by Lorraine Johnson.

Thank you. That makes sense. I'll be careful clearing & tidying around them, then.

I noticed today that there are 4, not 3 - two are growing very close to one another. My husband thinks there might have been more last year, and wonders if some just haven't flowered yet. I'll keep an eye out for more lady slipper foliage.

When we bought the house 10 years ago, there was only 1. I guess it's slowly establishing a colony. I'll leave it plenty of room to keep doing that. Wonder how the original seed got there? I haven't seen any others in the near vicinity.