This rather rare plant has a single slender stem that bears one or two flowers. The tip of the flower is yellow and the sepals are twisted and a brownish or purplish color.

The Orchid family is very dependent upon insects for polication and the lady’s slipper takes every precaution for being well pollinated. Once insects enter the lip of the blossom they cannot escape because the lip is rolled toward the inside. In finding its way out of the lip the bee fills itself with nectar and then escapes by way of a tiny hole designed to scrape the pollen off the bee’s back. As it struggles to escape, more pollen gets on its back and goes along to the next plant the bees visit. In this way the lady’s slipper is assured of cross pollination.

Late June to Early July