There are certain things in the woods that I was drawn to when I was little and the beautiful Pink Lady slipper was one of them. I remember sitting and watching these flowers for ages when i was a little because I believed that they were potential homes for fairies. I was convinced that if I sat there long enough I would eventually see the flower open and a fairy would come out. While I never did see a fairy come out of the flower or discover where I made that connection, it is interesting to note that one of the names the Lady Slipper is also known by is the Fairy queen.
The Lady Slipper is a beautiful wildflower that belongs to the orchid family. The Pink Lady Slipper is native to the North Eastern United States thought you may find other colors and varieties around the world. It has a presence in some variety in all fifty states here in the United States, including a beautiful yellow variety in the Western States. Here in New England it typically blooms from May through July. If you do spot a lady slipper please don’t dig it up as it’s a plant that is often listed as a special concern in areas and in some areas it may even be considered endangered. The Lady Slipper has a less than five percent chance of transplanting it so even if you wanted to try to cultivate it in your own yard from one that you gathered you would have a difficult time. It is illegal to dig them up on Federal Properties.
If you would like to grow them you need an area that has tall trees and filtered sunlight. Whenever I have found them, they have always been in the woods and are often quite close to trees. Their exposure to direct sunlight should be very limited to early morning or late in the day. You want to make sure that they are planted near deciduous trees as they don’t like acidic soil. Once you plant them, they need a significant amount of time to establish their root system and you may find that it takes 6 – 8 weeks or even a year to see results. You will want to purchase seeds from someone who has propagated them in a nursery. Once you have an established plant you will find that they can spread in the area that they are in. It can take patience and determination to get them established. They are beautiful once you do.
When colonists first came to America, the Pink Lady’s slipper was one of the substitutes for herbs they used previous to their arrival. They noted that pink lady’s slipper had similar effects to Valerian root. It was used to calm people, help headaches and even help with tooth pain .
There is an old origination story about the Lady Slipper. There was a village that was visited by the plague one winter. The residents were in desperate need of medicine and a girl volunteered to make the dangerous journey out into the snow to try to find medicine for all those who were sick. She found the medicine but lost her moccasins on the way back to the village. Her feet left bloody footprints that then turned into Lady Slippers when the snow melted in the Spring.
The Lady Slipper has beautiful feminine energy. It’s corresponding element is water and it also corresponds to the planet Saturn. Lady’s slipper is probably best known for it’s protection. It is used in sachets to help guard against hexes, curses, and spells.
Have a magickal day!
Much Love and Many Blessings,
Jasmeine Moonsong
The Pink Lady Slipper
