You might want to do some research about harvesting them in the woods. It might be illegal.

Over the years I've stumbled across 2 that were for sale at nearby trusred garden centers. There were only a few and about $35 each. I tried my best to check conditions & do soil tests, look for a place in my woods that seemed similar and planted near a decaying tree. Both went dormant quickly never to be seen again.

I wanted to leave something for posterity, but I'm on the fence to try again.

But some need a boggy area and that would not be actually in my hosta beds, but a low spot on my property.

Most of the wild ones have to have a special fungus in the soil to survive. I had some in the pine woods when we first moved here but they disappeared after a few years for some unknown reason. I think it was due to drought because nothing else has changed there.

Hillside nursery carries hybrids but they are very pricey. I would love to have one someday.

That reminds me, there is a pink one that we look at when it blooms yearly on one of our woods walks. I need to check and see if it is blooming. So unique and beautiful.

I grow Cypripedium reginae - Showy Lady's Slipper but my area is well suited to them. I live near Purdon Conservation Area where they have about 16,000 growing with raised boardwalks for viewing.

Here are mine.

I believe Plant Delights carries several, but they aren't cheap and they need exactly right conditions.

I tried and failed. There might be a little leaf emerging so I haven't completely given up hope yet.

Spendy, but seeds and plants readily found on Etsy. Peren.al yours are flat out gorgeous!

They have been on my list for years but the sticker price is still too high for my tastes. From what I have read, the Werner Frosch hybrids grow the best in the garden setting. Plant delights nursery carries some.

https://www.cypripedium.de/English/english.html

Cheers,

Werner Stiegler

Well, they are all sold out now. I wonder what they were selling them for. Thanks for the tease. But I'll be on the lookout.

Here's a list of nurseries in Kentucky that sell native plants. I thought there was a nursery near Frankfort, but I don't see it on the list. There is one, but not the one I remember.

https://www.knps.org/native-plant-nurseries/

They are beautiful flowers that grow wild in the Smoky Mountains and so many people are poaching them. I heard they only grow under certain conditions and environments.

On another note, I bought 3 trillum plants at a nursery and planted them in my shade garden. Hoping they will succeed.

Thank you Mama Cita!

Mine were given to me by a neighbour that was worried his might die after changing his eavestroughing.

@peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada looks like you’ve got just the right spot. Strong healthy plant.

@woodrose77 Used to be a second branch of King’s Nursery off the bypass in Frankfort.

Also Bluegrass Hosta Farm nursery is between Frankfort and Georgetown although I’ve not been there in years.

@Sandy V I’ve got several varieties of trillium I’ve collected from the woods behind the house.

They seem to do fine in my shady Hosta beds. They are very interesting plants.

May try the seeds on the Lady Slipper. I hate giving the $50 for a notorious hard to grow plant through the mail but would buy it in a nursery no question.

That would be a lovely combination if you could get one to survive (not a wild one though!).

@Werner Stiegler i‘be been watching videos sponsored by Frosch this evening. The soil choices and sites match for my Hosta and fern heavy beds. Well broke down Heavily organic soil my big beds are well sloped so no drainage issues. These hybrids seem to well adapted to the garden. Only thing they used different was pine needles for mulch. I believe the Frosch hybrids will work if anyone can find them.

https://youtu.be/U_BmDV_IPyo