Cypripedium Bernd - Lady Slipper Orchid

The Cypripedium 'Bernd' is a hybrid Venus Slipper that features a beautiful raspberry pink flower with darker veins, highlighted by a white ring near the slipper's opening. This perennial garden orchid develops floral stems in summer, usually bearing several flowers with characteristic shapes. It has specific cultivation requirements, which, if well respected, allow it to thrive in the garden. It prefers a partially shaded exposure in soil low in organic matter, well-drained, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, and always somewhat moist without waterlogging.

Cypripedium 'Bernd' belongs to the orchid family. It is a horticultural creation resulting from the cross-breeding between Cypripedium macranthos, native to Siberia, China, and Taiwan, and Cypripedium segawae, a rare species native to Taiwan. It is a rhizomatous plant that spreads in colonies over time. Its foliage is deciduous, emerging from the ground in spring and disappearing in autumn.

The Cypripedium 'Bernd' forms a clump of large, fairly light green leaves, ovate to elliptical, with very pronounced parallel veins. This variety will reach an average height of 50 cm in our climate when in bloom. Flowering usually occurs in May or June, when the plant is well established, at least 4 or 5 years old. The sturdy and robust floral stem develops directly from the rhizome. It is adorned with leaves at the top. Alternating and distributed along these tall stems, 2 to 3 flowers appear. Rarely 4. They have the characteristic shape of Cypripedium flowers and measure approximately 12 cm wide. Each flower consists of narrow and slightly spiralled sepals and petals, dominating an imposing 'slipper' lip, which is very swollen. The flower colour is raspberry pink, varying in the darkness among the flowers, with darker veins and a white ring near the opening of the slipper. The entire foliage is covered with a fine down that can be allergenic and irritating to the skin for some people. These hairs host a symbiotic fungus. During winter, the foliage disappears, and the plant persists as a rhizome.

The Cypripedium 'Bernd' is a perfectly hardy variety that multiplies rapidly in pots and the garden as long as the conditions are suitable. It thrives in forest edges, preferring a light soil that retains some moisture without being waterlogged. Plant it in a location with not too intense shade, in a cool rockery, an ideal habitat that allows it to thrive and beautify your garden with its unique presence. Accompany it with a simple fern like Polypodium vulgare along with the flowering of Trilliums and Lamium orvala. It also thrives in containers and unheated greenhouses. It is a plant that dislikes heat, drought, and strong winds.

When you receive your orchids, handle them with care: these plants produce few roots and are delicate!