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Threatened in the wild and problematic to propagate, lady's slipper orchids not so long ago were a rare find. But starting with wildflowers in 1989, Peter Joppe of Hillside Nursery in Shelburne Falls, MA was among the first in the field to crack the code for germinating and nurturing Cypripediums for commercial growing. They're still expensive, though, because the pollination, germination, and embryo culture process for propagating lady's slipper orchids takes a minimum of four years. Lady's slipper orchids prefer moist, well-drained soil, morning sun or bright shade, cool temperatures, and lime-rich soil. Mulch is a key to success. Peter Joppe also is breeding other hardy orchids. Beyond intriguing color combinations and increased bloom size for many orchids, his goal is a series of Cypripediums with more than one flower per stem. Hardy Orchids Available Commercially:Cypripedium kentuckiense - Kentucky lady's slipper Special Thanks:
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