The pink and white ladies’ slipper, a member of the orchid family, is Minnesota’s state flower. It replaced the non-native moccasin flower in 1902. The flower is not common and prefers moist grasslands and woodlands. It grows up to 2 feet tall and has oval leaves with pronounced folds. It is illegal to pick or harvest the flower or plant, and it is considered rare, endangered, or threatened across much of its range.
Minnesota’s state flower is the pink and white ladies’ slipper, also called the flashy ladies’ slipper. A member of the orchid family, the flower is scientifically known as Cypripedium reginae. It is found throughout Minnesota where conditions are favorable, but it is certainly not a common flower throughout the world. The pink and white women’s slipper tends to stand out with its bright shades of pink, red and white. It became the state flower of Minnesota in 1902.
Pink and white lady’s slipper was actually the second plant to be named the state flower of Minnesota. In 1893 Cypripedium calceolus, also known as the moccasin flower or lady’s slipper, was named the state flower. When it came to public attention that this plant is not native to Minnesota, a campaign began to replace it. In February 1902, the state legislature made the pink and white lady’s slipper the state flower of Minnesota in its place.
The plant is not considered common in any region, although it can be found from the Atlantic coast of both Canada and the United States as far south as North Carolina. Its range extends west to Mississippi with isolated populations found in North Dakota. The flower’s preferred habitat is moist grasslands and woodlands, including marshes and swamps. While it requires a high level of moisture in the soil, it also prefers a full sun setting.
This single stemmed plant grows up to 2 feet (about 61cm) tall. One to three flowers are found on each plant. Each flower has an elongated pouch-shaped underside, the slipper, with three white petals arranged above it like a canopy. Most flowers have red or pink slippers; some have both, with one color fading into the other. The 3- to 4-inch (about 7.5-10 cm) flowers are long-lasting, remaining showy for up to three weeks.
The leaves are oval and have pronounced folds running their entire length from stem to tip. They have a hairy surface and sometimes cause a rash when handled. One plant produces up to half a million tiny seeds a year. The seeds are so small and numerous that they can look like dust.
While a plant can live up to 100 years, they don’t grow quickly and populations are never large. Since 1925, it has been against Minnesota state law to pick or harvest flowers or whole plants. Across much of its range, the pink and white ladies’ slipper is considered rare, endangered, or threatened.
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