Calypso bulbosa is a member of the orchid family. It is abundant in our open forests at mid-elevations. The flowers below were seen in the Lac le Jeune area (4200 feet) in June.

They grow 10-25 cm tall from a bulb-like corm. The stalks are thin and brownish-purple. Leaves form at the base of the plant and are egg-shaped and pleated. The solitary flowers are a rose-purplish color and the lower petals form a slipper-like lower lip, with yellow hairs. The upper sepals and petals twist and are pointed. The fairyslipper is fragrant, but is easily damaged so be careful if you inspect them. Disturbance of the corm or picking the flower usually kills the plant.

First Nations people ate the corms for food and medicine. We enjoy them in the upper grasslands in May and in the plateau forests in June.