Every year, the Manitoba CDC spends some time surveying for Small White Lady's-slippers (Cypripedium candidum). This is one of six lady's-slipper species in Manitoba and is listed as Endangered under Manitoba's Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act.

In Manitoba, Small White Lady's-slippers can start blooming late in May, but more often in early June. Their bloom period often overlaps with that of Yellow Lady's-slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum). The two species are closely related and where they occur together, hybrid plants are often produced that have cream-coloured flowers.

Small White Lady's-slippers is a tall grass prairie species and in Manitoba is found in three main areas: from Steinbach south to the international border (most at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve), around the Brandon Hills, and in the south Interlake region around Woodlands and St. Laurent. Existing populations range in size from just a few plants in some road side ditches to thousands of plants in native prairie remnants.

The Manitoba CDC monitors some populations annually and others less often, and also searchers for new occurrences. If you find this species, consider yourself very fortunate (and please let us know so we can help protect it!).

Check out the associated observations to see photos of Small White Lady's-slippers and other species we found during our surveys this year.

Posted on June 7, 2018 02:42 PM by manitoba_cdc