Pink Lady's Slipper

The Pink Lady's Slipper is a herbaceous perennial with thick fibrous roots. It has two large, basal leaves; that is, the leaves seem to grow from the base of the plant, next to the ground. The leaves, up to 20 cm long, are strongly veined, elliptic in shape, and are thinly pubescent (have a thin covering of short hairs). They are a medium green in colour and may have lighter coloured spots. A single flower stalk arises from between the two leaves growing to as much as 40 cm above the ground. Each stalk produces a solitary flower. The large (3 - 6 cm long), inflated lip of the flower (the slipper part) is usually dark pink in colour, but the shade will vary, and white varieties are known. The sepals and petals surrounding the lip are usually reddish brown, but may be tinged with green. The sideways pointing petals are twisted into a spiral.