CHANHASSEN, Minn. — The Arboretum’s Plant Conservation Program aims to promote the conservation of rare and native plant species in Minnesota. David Remucal and a team of staff and volunteers work to maintain a seed bank for plants native to Minnesota, such as terrestrial native orchids, carnivorous plants, cacti and more.
Remucal's particular passion is orchids, and he’s quick to point out that the showy lady’s slipper (our state flower) is just one of Minnesota’s 48 native orchids.
David recently returned from a December outing collecting seeds from pods of showy lady slippers’ seeds. They are tiny, so small that some orchid seed pods contain more than a million seeds. So why don’t we see these flowers growing everywhere?
Orchids are ecologically complex, with specialized requirements to germinate and grow. They need soil fungi specific to each species, certain kinds of pollinators and a hydrological environment that’s just right to thrive.
The Plant Conservation Program usually provides a few showy lady’s slipper seedlings at the annual Arboretum Plant Sale (May 10-11, 2024), and they’re snapped up almost immediately. David hopes buyers will let the conservation team know how the plants are faring in their new homes. Shared information will help researchers learn more about what showy lady slippers need to grow and thrive.
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