Aw Jeff, just because I don't talk about it, doesn't mean I don't have it ;) Mine are seedlings, just out of compot so to speak. Well, you have my email address... Carolyn

Has anything like shade, moisture, or neighboring plants changed? I have pink ladies slippers, and I've divided them early on when the first leaves show. I leave as much of the soil intact as possible, they seem soooo delicate! They haven't really reproduced themselves, they seem to take a long time to re-establish, and seem really fussy about where you put them. My best bet would be to mimic the original growing area as closely as possible, and keep them moist. Maybe you could add more soil/compost as a top dressing? Are they maybe depleting what they have? If you could keep them in the same spot and just give them more "food", as in natural soil/compost, I'm guessing natural loam, to avoid moving them unless really neccessary, try that first. I wish I could offer more!

Hi Abbie, So sorry to hear about your plants being eaten. Most likely deer. The best thing you can do is to put a thick wire cage around the plant. Most other things deer can get into. April, the plants are not ephemerals. They should last until the cold weather and last often until first frosts nip them. Since they have had a while to build up their buds, they will probably come back (unless all the roots are ripped) but they will be smaller next year and not flower for a year or two. As for the seed pod, the news is not great. Hardy orchid seed has two windows of opportunity: Green pod season, and dry seed season. Dry seed can be collected any time after about 12 weeks after pollination up until it is scattered by the wind in October or November. This seed is taken and put in a bleach solution to both destroy the seed coat and destroy germination inhibitors in the seed. Naturally, winter will do both of these to the seed, but bleach does it in 45 minutes. Unfortunately, exposing life to caustic chemicals has it's drawbacks: Success can be low for any number of reasons. The green pod season is different. To collect green pods, you cut the stem above the first large leaf, and keep the capsule itself intact. Each species varies in time of collection, but it is important to sow it within about a week's window. The window is most often 7 to 8 weeks after pollination. Thus, the seed is immature and if dried will certainly die because it lacks a seed coat and other protective mechanisms that have not formed yet (they form in the last 4 weeks of maturation). It is because of this that immature seed is sometimes so easy to germinate. If it has been (*maybe 10*), 11 weeks or more since pollination, you can try drying it. If it has been (*maybe 6*) 7 to 9 weeks since pollination, send it immediately. The best way to ship is to put the pod into a small sealable tube with a wet paper towel or cotton swab in the bottom. The stem should touch the paper and keep it alive like a cut flower. Priority mail is best. If pollination was 5 weeks or less, the seed is too immature to differentiate at all, most likely. Let me know. Best, Ross

A small variety grows wild here in our wooded areas. Quote form an orchid site: These Paphiopedilum orchids have no water storing features like pseudobulbs.They are generally terrestrial, soil growing, growing in the shade of the forest floor or bogs where they can always be moist. So watering needs to be available constantly. Paphiopedilum orchid care requires that they be moist and never dry or soggy. Paphiopedilums are unique, there are both warm and cool growing plants. Slipper orchid care will alter a little because of these two different types of Paphiopedilums. The warm growing need temperatures from 60 - 65 F. degrees to 75 -85 F. degrees. Whereas the cool growing orchid Paphs. need temps from 50 - 55 F.all the way up to 75 - 80 F. degrees. These orchids can also do well with a constant temperature and the cool growing ones can stand temperatures into the 40's if needed for a short time. Those Paphiopedilums which have green leaves are usually the cool climate ones, while those with mottled leaves are warm growing ones. As most orchids, lady slipper orchids require humidity between 40 - 60%, remember they usually grow on the rain forest floor. This may need to be augmented by using humidity trays. You can get a flat tray with sides. Fill the tray with stone pebbles and then add water about half way up. Place the plant on the tray making sure that the slipper orchid roots are not touching the water. If it does there is a good chance for root rot.