Fairy Slipper Orchid

I live in Dryden, Ontario. I found this lone wild flower growing along an old unused portage trail, under a canopy of cedar trees. It resembles an orchid. I think it’s beautiful, but I know nothing about it.

What a lucky find. This native fairy slipper orchid is primarily found in Canada and Alaska with a few local populations in Europe and the United States. Its numbers are dwindling, especially in the more southern parts of its range. Watch for these natives in cedar (Thuja) swamps or dry pine-fir-cedar woods. The fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa) prefers cool soils and doesn't tolerate close contact with human activities. 

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