Cypripedium parviflorum ( not calceolus!)

[Linda_Foulis]

Is it possible to start these from seed?  If so how?  On our hike today we found a wonderful clump growing in the wild and as tempting as it was to dig up even a little root, I did not.  However there were some capsules left from last year that I did grab.  Two of them are still brown and closed and have loads of fine 'hairs' falling out of them.  Can I assume these are the seeds?  Any info at all would be greatly appreciated.

I took a look through the cypripedium sections here in the forum and saw that one of the members had seedlings coming up in an established clump of cyps, but saw no mention if it's possible to start these 'manually'.

[Joakim B]

Linda normally these plants are sown in aseptic environment test tubes to have good germination, but some has succeeded with sowing them in normal way. Then have the same soil as is where they grow naturally and try not to disturb. I have not seen the seeds but it is small.
Then You just have to be very lucky.
There is one cross that was made this way so it is not impossible but not very likely.
You have in Canada Cypripedium parviflorum with subspices and not C. calceolus as was thought before. They look similar but not the same.
Hope You get more information about the seeds them selves or information from anyone that has tried themselves to sow the old fashion way.

All the best
Joakim

[gote]

The seed is very fine and the stuff faling out from the slits in the pods is seed.
The test tube method is quite laborious.
The "natural" way requires a soil fungus to be in symbiosis with the seed to start the plant.
The best way to find this fungus is of course in the soil close to the plant.
If you have no soil sample (I assume you have not) try to find soil that is as close to the one where you found the plant as possible.
Do not try "seed sowing soil" it is very unlikely to start the seeds.
Good luck
Göte 

[Linda_Foulis]

Thank you for the tips Joakim and Gote.  We went up that same hike again today and saw so many of these beautiful flowers, it's so amazing what one sees when the eyes are open.    I can easily (and without guilt) grab some soil from the areas in which they are growing.  I was surprised to really see what conditions they are growing in.  We started to see them at the highest point of our hike where it is dry, open grassland.  Heading down they petered out some but still were found growing in pure shade under pine trees.  
Also, where these are growing are practically a stones throw from our house so I'm fairly confident they'll survive here.  I'll get some soil tomorrow and attempt them outdoors and let Mom nature do her thing.
 KPP - IMG_0312a
 KPP - IMG_03181a

[gote]

I'll get some soil tomorrow and attempt them outdoors and let Mom nature do her thing.

Remember she is slow. Do not disturb the spot for a couple of years.
Göte

[johanneshoeller]

Linda,
I think this is not Cyp. calceolus. Does calceolus grow in Cananda??

[Maggi Young]

Hans, it was mentioned before that it is Cypripedium parviflorum  (with subspecies) in Canada 

[johanneshoeller]

Sorry, I have seen to late!

[cohan]

Thank you for the tips Joakim and Gote.  We went up that same hike again today and saw so many of these beautiful flowers, it's so amazing what one sees when the eyes are open.    I can easily (and without guilt) grab some soil from the areas in which they are growing.  I was surprised to really see what conditions they are growing in.  We started to see them at the highest point of our hike where it is dry, open grassland.  Heading down they petered out some but still were found growing in pure shade under pine trees.  
Also, where these are growing are practically a stones throw from our house so I'm fairly confident they'll survive here.  I'll get some soil tomorrow and attempt them outdoors and let Mom nature do her thing.
 KPP - IMG_0312a
 KPP - IMG_03181a

very nice, linda--where is this hike, in red deer? i think i saw cyps growing in the ditches (roadsides) near sylvan lake in summer, but i was never able to stop to look (busy highway!)
i have seen C passerinum (sp?) at crimson lake(west of rocky mtn house), and was thinking of trying naturally sowing some of those as well... it seems i have spots here not much different than where they were growing...

does anyone know--does each species or genus of orchids use different fungi? or same/similar? so--if some orchids are growing, does that make the soil (assuming similar  habitat in other ways) likely to be good for other species?

[gote]

At least some use the same fungus
Göte

[cohan]

good to know, thanks göte..

[Stephen Vella]

Linda dont dig up Cyps!!! Even the thought of it is a terrible thing to hear.

The U.k has only 2 adult clumps left in the wild in a secrete location due to over picking and digging them up. Also Cyps dug up in the wild have a very low percentage of survival.

Adult Cyps grown in labs are freely available and the hybrids are even more easier to grow in garden conditions.

I wish I had local Cyps to see and admire so close by

Good luck with your seeds

[Maggi Young]

Don't worry, Stephen! Linda is not goinfg to dig up any plants.... she is going to collect a soil sample from beside a wild population in an effort to introduce the necessary mycorhizal bacteria for her seeds to associate with !

 
I am confident that all Forumists are aware of the proper behaviour in the countryside of ANY country, as regards conservation.

[cohan]

Don't worry, Stephen! Linda is not goinfg to dig up any plants.... she is going to collect a soil sample from beside a wild population in an effort to introduce the necessary mycorhizal bacteria for her seeds to associate with !

 
I am confident that all Forumists are aware of the proper behaviour in the countryside of ANY country, as regards conservation.

hopefully linda has some success with the seed
sadly, here in alberta, there is no source that i have found yet for native orchids from alberta stock...shame to grow only species from other parts of the country and world, when there are beautiful native species perfectly adapted to the environment and worse yet, most suppliers have mostly hybrids..
of course this situation applies here to almost all natives, very few alberta alpines or dryland species available either, the best representation is in common meadow/prairie plants, a couple of good sources for those..

[Lori S.]

Cohan, I'd recommend you contact ALCLA here in Calgary... perhaps not at this time of year but probably best in spring.  The regular plant list on the website is limited (but does include Cypripedium "calceolus" pubescens at least) but if you visit in person (by appointment), or perhaps make inquiries, you may find some of what you are looking for.  They really do grow a large number of species, from seeds collected under the appropriate permits where required, apparently on contract for restoration projects(?), but very little of it appears on the website list.  Can't promise alpines, but then, I haven't been back there in a few years so I'm not sure what they are up to these days.