(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Ok, I’ll admit it – like many people – Pink Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedium acaule) are one of my favorite spring wildflowers. I first saw one growing the wild a few years ago – and ever since – have loved finding them growing in the woods and photographing them. What surprised me was how many other people love them to. At shows, the pink lady’s slipper photograph is one of the most popular wildflower photographs I have. Usually several times a show, people would say -“oh wow – pink lady’s slippers – I haven’t seen them since I was a child . . .” and then tell me about how often they used to see them – and how rarely they see them today.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Last year, I was fortunate to photograph Pink Lady’s Slippers in several locations – including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Delaware Water Gap. Varieties of pink lady’s slippers can be found throughout much of the eastern United States and Canada. They are considered endangered or threatened in Illinois, Tennessee, and New York. The biggest threats to the Pink Lady’s Slippers are loss of habitat and harvesting of wild plants for sale. Since the lady’s slippers require very specific growing conditions – harvested wild plants rarely survive when transplanted.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Pink Lady’s Slippers have a very distinctive look. Members of the orchid family, they grow to between 8 and 16 inches tall with a pink inflated slipper-like lip petal, red veins and a fissure down the front. It has two basal leaves – oblong with pointed tips.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Lady Slipper’s grow in many environements – shade/partly shade. Some prefer moist soil – other prefer dry conditions. One set I’ve photographed several times in the Smokies are growing in very shallow soil on top of a rock.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Known also as moccasin flowers, lady’s slippers get their name from an incorrect Latinization of the Greek word for Venus’ shoes.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Pink Lady’s Slippers were used for several medicinal purposes. The roots have been used to treat everything from menstrual pain to kidney issues. It has been used to treat bites of mad dogs and as a love potion. And when taken with whiskey – it supposedly was used to treat general ailments. As always – please do not use this information about traditional uses as a recommendation of any plants for medicinal use.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
If you would like more information about Pink Lady’s Slippers – additional online information is available at
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center