Latin Name:

Calypso bulbosa

Common Name(s):

Calypso, Fairy Slipper, Deer's Head Orchid, Cytherea, Venus Slipper, Pink Slipper Orchid

Family Name:

Orchid

Size:

3-8 inches tall

Flower Size:

1-2 inches long

Flower Shape:

Iris/Orchid

Color(s):

Pink/Lavender ()

Description:

A single, mostly pink orchid flower that sits atop an errect red stalk. It has a single basal leaf. The flower has a main pouchlike lower lip common to orchids, and is spotted with dark purple and yellow markings. Around the lower lip are 5 narrow, pointed pink sepals/petals. (The back three are sepals, and the front 2 are petals, interestingly enough).

Tidbits:

Calypso is named after the nymph who seduced Odysseus/Ulysses. The name is probably due to the fact that both hide in the woods (Calypso means "concealment" in Greek), although I most admit that I am seduced both by the flower's beauty and by its fragrance.

Ecology:

Very shady, cool mossy forests with rich soil, lower to middle elevations.

Blooming Season:

March-July

Related Flowers:

Lady Slippers

Similar Flowers:

Lady Slippers