It is common “knowledge” that the orchid is a tropical/subtropical plant. But in truth, orchids can be found in almost every part of the globe except for the deserts and the polar regions.
About 85% of orchid species may inded be found in the tropics and subtropics, but that leaves a large number to the more temperate zones. Among other things, this means that you will not be out of luck if you live in a cool area and want to grow orchids, but do not have a hothouse or other heated area in which do so so.
The number of known orchid species is in the tens of thousands. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that there could be naturally occurring orchids thriving in your very neighborhood, even if you inhabit one of our more northerly regions. Take the fairly common Lady Slipper.
Lady Slippers (also written Lady’s Slippers and Ladyslippers) is a name given to a large subfamily of orchids, the Cypripedioidea, with many members that grow in cool climates across North America and Europe. If you live in the New England states of the U.S., or the Appalachian mountains, or even in Canada, you could have Lady Slippers growing wild in some woods near you.
A species of Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota. Another is the official state wildflower of New Hampshire. The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island has a Lady Slipper as its official flower.
If you are considering growing orchids, especially in an outdoor garden, you would do well to consider a native species. It will already be adapted to your specific climate, and–if you live in a place that has low temps in the winter–you might not even need to bring it inside when cold weather arrives.
Among the loveliest American orchids is the Yellow Lady Slipper. It is also among the easiest orchids to grow in a garden. On the other hand, the Pink Lady Slipper is extremely difficult to grow.Clearly, unless you are already experienced with growing orchids, the Yellow Lady Slipper is the preferred choice.
Nurseries that specialize in orchid plants tend to run out of stock from time to time. Nevertheless, Lady Slippers are generally some of the easiest orchids to acquire. These are also more inexpensive, generally speaking, than plants from exotic or distant regions of the world. They are an excellent orchid for getting your thumb green, so to speak, before you take on the challenge of rarer or more “foreign” types.
All of the advice pertaining to successful orchid cultivation apply to the Lady Slippers and similar plants. You need accurate information before you begin attempting to grow these or other orchids, and the best, most complete guide to modern orchid cultivation, hands down, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded online. Howard’s wonderful guide will provide a thorough education on the subject. Also, be sure to visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing database of articles on all aspects of orchid cultivation.