California lady's slipper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California lady's slipper |
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| 1891 illustration from Curtis's Botanical Magazine" |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cypripedium
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| Species: |
californicum
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The California lady's slipper (scientific name: Cypripedium californicum) is a special kind of orchid. It belongs to a group of orchids often called "lady's slippers" because of their unique shape. This beautiful flower grows naturally in the western United States.
What Does It Look Like?
This plant often grows in big groups. Each stem can have as many as 21 flowers! It can grow to be over a meter (about 3 feet) tall. Its leaves are arranged along the stem and are pleated, like a fan. The petals and sepals (parts that look like petals) are usually greenish-brown. The small pouch-shaped part of the flower, which gives it the "slipper" name, is pure white. Sometimes, it has tiny pink spots.
Where Does It Grow?
The California lady's slipper only grows in a small area. You can find it in the mountains of southwestern Oregon and northern California. It especially likes to grow near woodland streams. These streams are often found in open coniferous forests, which are forests with trees like pines and firs.
