When does the showy lady's-slipper bloom?

Cypripedium reginae typically blooms in June and July, with each stem producing one or occasionally two large flowers with white sepals and a pink and white pouch.

What pollinates Cypripedium reginae?

Bees, especially bumblebees, pollinate this orchid. They enter the pouch through the front opening and are guided out past the anthers and stigma, picking up or depositing pollen in the process.

What growing conditions does this orchid prefer?

It grows best in part shade with consistently moist to wet, often calcareous soil, the kind of conditions found in fens, bogs, wet meadows and swampy woodland edges.

Does Cypripedium reginae die back in winter?

Yes. It is a deciduous herbaceous perennial that dies back to the ground each fall and resprouts from its rootstock in spring.

Is Queen Lady's-slipper HOA-friendly?

Queen Lady's-slipper takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Queen Lady's-slipper

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Cypripedium reginae

Last reviewed: August 2026

Cypripedium reginae, the showy lady's-slipper, flowers in June and July in wet meadows, fens and calcareous swamps, favoring part shade and steadily moist to wet soil.

Toxicity unknown

Queen Lady's-slipper (Cypripedium reginae) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part shade

Water

high

Size

12"–36" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul

Native to

AR, CT, IA, IL and 20 more states

Pollinators

bees

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Ozark Highlands Western Corn Belt Plains Northern Lakes and Forests North Central Hardwood Forests Driftless Area Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains Central Corn Belt Plains Eastern Corn Belt Plains Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains Huron/Erie Lake Plains Northeastern Highlands Northeastern Coastal Zone Erie Drift Plain Interior River Valleys and Hills Acadian Plains and Hills Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands

Queen lady's-slipper is a spectacular native orchid that produces large, showy white and pink pouch-shaped flowers in early summer. This elegant perennial prefers consistently moist, rich soil and partial shade, making it ideal for woodland gardens or naturalized areas. The plant goes completely dormant in winter, disappearing until spring growth emerges.

Growing Queen Lady's-slipper

Grow Queen Lady's-slipper in part shade and high water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide. Expect high maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Queen Lady's-slipper takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Completely disappears when dormant, leaving empty soil
Requires specialized growing conditions that may appear unkempt
Very expensive and difficult to establish successfully

Wildlife value

This orchid attracts native bees as pollinators, though it blooms for a relatively short period in summer.

Common questions

When does the showy lady's-slipper bloom?: Cypripedium reginae typically blooms in June and July, with each stem producing one or occasionally two large flowers with white sepals and a pink and white pouch.
What pollinates Cypripedium reginae?: Bees, especially bumblebees, pollinate this orchid. They enter the pouch through the front opening and are guided out past the anthers and stigma, picking up or depositing pollen in the process.
What growing conditions does this orchid prefer?: It grows best in part shade with consistently moist to wet, often calcareous soil, the kind of conditions found in fens, bogs, wet meadows and swampy woodland edges.
Does Cypripedium reginae die back in winter?: Yes. It is a deciduous herbaceous perennial that dies back to the ground each fall and resprouts from its rootstock in spring.
Is Queen Lady's-slipper HOA-friendly?: Queen Lady's-slipper takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Queen Lady's-slipper? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden

iPhone app Android app

Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz