This is my very first garden orchid, a lovely Cypripedium hybrid called Kentucky Pink. I guess it is not very strange that I do not have that many garden orchids since I live in an apartment for 10-11 months of the year. This one is hanging outside my kitchen window, and I love the beautiful contrast between the rich purple flowers, green leaves and the light yellow stucco walls of the building. My own little urban garden. I should probably get a window box for it but the idea is to grow it outside at our summer place, but since it is blooming now the plant stays in the city with us so we can enjoy the flowers.
This is a bit of an experiment actually. If I can keep it alive through winter I might get more. The parents of this hybrid come from America so I am not sure it would survive outdoors here year around. I think it would be best to bring it indoors for the winter. It sleeps through winter preferably in a fairly dark and cool place with only minimal watering. I guess it will have to go in the fridge unless I can figure out a better place for it by fall… We actually have native Cypripedium here in Sweden too though, Cypripedium calceolus for example. Next year I might prepare a bed for them out at the summer place and get a few species hardy to our climate. We’ll see, I would have to look for late bloomers so we can actually see them bloom since we rarely move out there before mid to late June. Until then I will enjoy this one, the flowers are positively sumptuous!
Beautiful plant, so beautifully looking the world outside your window!
Thank you! 🙂
Hej, I have the same Cypr and planning to keep it outside through the winter in Lithuania. I bought it this spring and the seller mentioned it can withstand -20C. Keeping it hung outside your flat window is very charming though. 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 Yes, I was contemplating putting it in the ground too… I might still if I have time to prepare a bed for it. It would be nice to manage to overwinter it outdoors. Do you now if it is a hybrid or a color variation of C kentuckiense?
I believe that yours too originate from the same vendor gardenorchid.com I was told that this nursery is massively producing hybrids for mass market, on my label it only says Cypr Pink Blush and I think mine is hybrid. Don’t know yours might be something else although flowers look identical.
Yes, same grower. I wrote them and asked, we’ll see what they say.
let me know please…
Will do!
Lovely plant, hope it does well for you
Beautiful plant. It looks as though it might be C. kentuckiense x macranthos.
It would certainly survive in the ground in Sweden. I don’t know about a pot outside, but if you have space, you could put it in the refrigerator.
Thanks Nick! 🙂 And thank you for the suggestion on what parents could be involved, I still have not heard back from the grower. Nice to know it probably could survive outside here, I might have to plan a speial bed for it this summer and give it a go. 🙂 Dear husband would be thrilled to not have this over winter in our fridge…
Thanks Gaz! 🙂
Your garden orchid is lovely. The color is very eye-catching, and I hope that you can grow that and reap a bountiful. Good luck!
Thank you Melanie!
I gave my mother what I believe was a Cypripedium kentuckiense last year around may. She lives in Stockholm and it has already gone through last years winter in the balcony (in a pot)without a problem. This year it gave 5 beautiful flowers.
That is cool! We’ll see if mine makes it in the fridge. 🙂