Cypripedium Sabine Pastel - Lady Slipper Orchid

The Cypripedium 'Sabine Pastel' is a white version of the 'Sabine' Venus Slipper, notable for the size of its flowers. It is a rare form with a white and swollen lip, the size of a hen's egg, topped with petals of a cream colour barely washed with green. Very bright, these flowers, which last up to 3 weeks, stand out against the green foliage. Provide it with shaded or semi-shaded exposure and a well-aerated, well-drained, and humus-bearing soil that is slightly acidic and remains somewhat moist but not soggy.

The Cypripedium 'Sabine Pastel' belongs to the orchid family. It is a hybrid resulting from cross-breeding two Chinese species, the Cypripedium fasciolatum and the Cypripedium macranthos var. album. The first is a species native to the mountainous province of Sichuan in China, which is rare. The second is a species found in the undergrowth and fields of Siberia, Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan.

The 'Sabine Pastel' Cypripedium develops from a fleshy stump from which light green, oval, elliptical leaves emerge in early spring, measuring 12 cm in length, sessile and embracing, with enormously impressed parallel veins. The stump produces suckers, allowing it to form beautiful colonies eventually. In late spring, usually in May-June and for about three weeks, the plants produce beautiful hairy flower stems, rising to 50 cm from the ground. Each stem bears a solitary flower. The flower is formed by slender, twisted sepals and petals of a slightly greenish cream colour and a large swollen lip of ivory white. Each plant is usually uniflorous. The above-ground vegetation is absent in winter.

The 'Sabine' Cypripedium is a hardy and robust plant with good heat tolerance. 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 for it to thrive and beautify your garden with its unique presence. Accompany it with a simple fern-like Polypodium vulgare and the flowering of Trilliums and Lamium orvala. It also thrives in containers and unheated greenhouses. It is a plant that dislikes heatwaves, drought, and strong winds.

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