Buttercups, daisies and other wildflowers adorn this field in New Sharon. (Photo by Don Waterhouse)Buttercups reach to the sky against an afternoon sun at this field in New Sharon. (Photo by Don Waterhouse)
Dawn Schanz found this ladies' slippers (and many more) on a hike in the woods of New Vineyard.According to the state's website: "Pink Lady's-slippers (Cypripedium acaule)--the most common lady's-slipper in Maine. Blooming through June, they are typically found thinly scattered in the understory of dry, mixed woods and boggy areas. Pink lady's-slipper produces a pink (occasionally white), 1 to 3 inch long pouch-like flower that grows singly on a stalk emerging from 2 broad, fuzzy leaves at the base of the plant." (Photo by Dawn Schanz)Egypt Pond resembled a finger painting in pollen. Between the allergens, mosquitoes, and black flies, this photographer was rather miserable, but it's always worth it. (Photo by Jane Naliboff of Vienna)
Oh, to suffer for one’s art, but look at the outcome of the last photo…remarkable!!
I usually have a half dozen or so lady slippers in my backyard but not for the past two years. Are they still on the endangered specie list? As a child, we were not allowed to pick them. Thank you, Jane.
Hi Casey,
You have Dawn Schanz to thank for the beautiful Lady Slipper photos. I haven’t seen any this year myself, but thank you for thinking of me. Don Waterhouse sent in the lovely, sunny flower photos so that once again we can remember what the sun looks like.
Jane
Casey-
I looked up a bunch of information on lady’s slippers after I took the pictures. There is an article about them on the Maine.gov website that says, “The lady’s-slipper orchids are among the showiest orchids in the eastern United States and are vulnerable to collection. Lady’s-slippers require highly specific habitats in order to grow, thus collecting lady’s-slippers, even the common ones, is discouraged. Over-collecting of lady’s-slippers could make even the common species rare over a short time period.” Two specific species are listed in another place on the site as either threatened or endangered–the Showy Lady’s Slipper and the Ram’s Head Lady’s Slipper. The more common pink isn’t listed, but I too have heard since a child that you shouldn’t pick them and that transplanting them doesn’t usually work. I’m sorry yours didn’t show up this year. Hopefully they will make a comeback!
Oh, to suffer for one’s art, but look at the outcome of the last photo…remarkable!!
I usually have a half dozen or so lady slippers in my backyard but not for the past two years. Are they still on the endangered specie list? As a child, we were not allowed to pick them. Thank you, Jane.
Hi Casey,
You have Dawn Schanz to thank for the beautiful Lady Slipper photos. I haven’t seen any this year myself, but thank you for thinking of me. Don Waterhouse sent in the lovely, sunny flower photos so that once again we can remember what the sun looks like.
Jane
Casey-
I looked up a bunch of information on lady’s slippers after I took the pictures. There is an article about them on the Maine.gov website that says, “The lady’s-slipper orchids are among the showiest orchids in the eastern United States and are vulnerable to collection. Lady’s-slippers require highly specific habitats in order to grow, thus collecting lady’s-slippers, even the common ones, is discouraged. Over-collecting of lady’s-slippers could make even the common species rare over a short time period.” Two specific species are listed in another place on the site as either threatened or endangered–the Showy Lady’s Slipper and the Ram’s Head Lady’s Slipper. The more common pink isn’t listed, but I too have heard since a child that you shouldn’t pick them and that transplanting them doesn’t usually work. I’m sorry yours didn’t show up this year. Hopefully they will make a comeback!