Calypso bulbosa var. americana

The Fairy Slipper has two North American varieties, the Eastern Fairy Slipper, Calypso bulbosa var. americana, found across North America, and the Western Fairy Slipper, Calypso bulbosa var. occidentalis, found only west of Rockies and in the Cascades.  The former is the subject of this post.  It is easily identifiable by its yellow "beard" (the western variety has a white beard), and by its lack of brown spotting on the lip (the western variety is heavily spotted). For us this is the variety that is uncommon (though common across North America, since we have to travel some distance east and across the mountains to see it.

June 3

(near the end of its bloom season in eastern Washington)