The loss of native orchid species and their habitat is a


significant environmental problem in Manitoba as it is all over the world. Habitat loss is the primary threat to native orchid species. Most of our orchid species grow in or adja- cent to wetlands and Manitoba has lost 70 per cent of its wetlands since 1900. Another critical orchid habitat, for our three endangered species — western prairie-fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara), small white lady's-slipper (Cypripedium candidum) and great Plains ladies' tresses (Spiranthes magnicamporum) is the tall grass prairie. We have less than one per cent of our tall grass prairie remain- ing. Agriculture and housing development, resource extraction such as logging and mining, and wetland drainage are all major causes of habitat loss. Failure to thrive — including an inability to reproduce sexually due to pollinator loss, disease and environmental stress — are all related to habitat loss and/or modification. When you add to that the relentless digging up of


attractive species like lady's-slipper for transplanting to home gardens, or what is worse, for sale, you began to appreciate just how threatened these plants are. Native orchids are very difficult to grow from seed


because this must be done under sterile laboratory condi- tions. However, people wishing to try growing native orchids can order seedlings from reputable nurseries such


62 • Fall 2016


as Fraser Thimble Farms (thimblefarms.com). Digging up plants from the wild is not recommended. They are hard to transplant and many fail during the first five years after being transplanted. Some lady’s slipper varieties are extremely slow growing at first and some clumps are as much as 50 years old. It is a tragedy to see them uprooted and then fail due to a transplanting. Lab-propagated seedlings are robust, and growing them


does not diminish the already inadequate gene pool. It is illegal to dig up plants along main highways and parks and furthermore to dig up plants anywhere which are on the Manitoba government’s endangered species list. That list includes the western prairie-fringed orchid and small white lady’s slipper. Finding these camera-shy darlings


To see native orchids in Manitoba, you need look no


further than a cedar bog in late April or early May to find fairy slippers and along the sides of our main highways and parks in June for large yellow lady’s slippers (C. calceo- lus var. pubescens), small yellow lady’s slippers (C. reginae). Moccasin flowers (C. acaule) and the coralroots (Corallo- rhiza) can be found in coniferous forests in May and June. western prairie-fringed orchid (P. praeclara) and the small white lady’s slipper (C. candidum) can be found in June in the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve near Tolstoi, Manitoba.


localgardener.net


Photo by Lorne Heshka.


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