I have two Lady Slipper Orchid, I don't know the names of these I can mail you a picture of them. If you want me to Please let me know Maryann2007 Byrdnmber2@yahoo.com

I also have a mottled leaf Paph, and it only blooms when it's a bit chilly (50-70) degrees, nearing the winter. I live in OK, so I don't know how this will be different for either of you. Mine just now started blooming, and it does reliably produce a flower spike each year, near November/December. I water it thoroughly when it dries out, with some intermittent misting, and give it an eighth of full strength fertilizer every week or so (dilute the regular weak/week fertilizer by a half), For this one, indirect light is best (south facing window with filtered light or under a shaded area in your outdoor growing area).

They are Cypripediums can you describe them or post a picture. The red/white one is Cyp regina, the state flower of Minnesota. Also tell us which state or province you live in. You can also go to: http://www.thimblefarms.com/cypripedium.html and look at his species. There are only about 15 or so which occur in North America and he shows them all. Your plant is listed there. Nick

Dottie, though I live in Colorado, S of Colorado Springs, I experiment in Zone denial, and have many pleasant discoveries. The arid climate allows us to get away with things and grow a wider range of plants. The orchids grow in the moist, shady microclimates provided by numerous exotic conifers. The rattlesnakes are indeed Goodyera- oblongifolia and repens. Both are about to bloom now. Flowers are greenish white and insignificant. Foliage is more interesting than flowers. Calypso bloomed a few weeks ago, and Cypripedium is just finishing. By growing these in sunken pots, the soil can be made perfect - like in the wild. For Calypso, that means lots of almost totally decomposed wood and loam. These are dormant in summer, growing a solitary leaf in late summer, early fall, and maturing a flower bud over winter, under snow, that blooms as soon as the snow melts and medium thaws. Cypripedium are in loamy granitic soil with good drainage, clay in the very bottom of the pot. Much easier to grow than Calypso. Commercial Bletilla and Pleione are the least fussy, grown in mix of bark and loamy humus that drains fast. Corallorhiza require pine roots, from which they may steal a little food. These are really hard to establish, and even then, don't appear every year.