Thanks for the info stone. I feel lucky to have stumble across something interesting. I will be taking more walks now looking for interesting plants and flowers. Nice to know there are people like you and parityanimal out there to help identify plants as I have no clue when it comes to flowers and plants unless it’s a vegetable.

Do not move it! They are hard to transplant. They love the woodland setting and there you can go to enjoy it. If and when it spreads you could try a plant but just not easy to take care of out of its environment. Enjoy it.

I’m surprised that you were lucky enough to find this beauty growing so far south! I’ve seen them in the wild in Tn, but not Ga. I know someone that grows them in his garden in Macon ga, but his come from a nursery, where they grow them from seed… And even so, he loses some each year. These plants were almost collected out of existence. There were several theories why they never survived being transplanted, but the one that makes the most sense to me… Is that any broken roots die back to the plant… And have you ever dug a plant without severing some roots? I have some links to suppliers posted on my lady slipper page: http://www.stonethegardener.com/shade/holy-grail.html

I may have a new hobby now. I was just taking a walk while BBQ-ing. I have walked through those woods many times before and never noticed anything but briers and poison ivy. I listen to Walter but never checked out his web site until I saw the flower yesterday. Thanks again for the information, I am excited to have stumbled across something uncommon.

You are very welcome. I rather envy you for seeing one in the wild as they are not particularly common! There is also an alba (white) form that is even more rare.

WOW! Thank You for the info. I never knew an orchid was native to Georgia. I guess I’ll just have to admire it when I’m walking in the woods instead or transplanting.

Actually, I should clarify that slightly… On private lands, the landowner has ultimate authority on what protection efforts, if any, occur with regard to protected plants. No protected plant may be collected without written landowner permission. No protected plant may be transported in Georgia without a transport tag with a permit number affixed. (Source: Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Protected Plants of Georgia, 1995)

That is a Ladyslipper orchid, specifically Cypripedium acaule or Moccasin flower. The pink Ladyslipper orchid, Cypripedium acaule, and the Yellow Ladyslipper orchid, Cypripedium calceolus, are both state protected plant species classified as “unusual.” It would be illegal for you to transplant that orchid, but you may be able to buy one from a reputable orchid dealer.