Flower:

Small single (occasionally two) ½ to 1 inch flower atop a slender stem. The showy lower lip (the slipper) is inflated out horizontally with a conical extension descending from bottom. The slipper opening is white to yellow tinged and covered with silky hairs; under slipper is richly veined with purple, though an even rarer white form can be found. Lateral petals and sepals are alike, narrow, purplish-brown and may be slightly twisted. The upper sepal extends over the lip and is much larger and broader with more obvious striping. A single large, leaf-like, erect to curving bract sits at the top of the stem, behind the thickened ovary.

Leaves:

2 to 5 leaves, each 2 to 4 inches long, to 1¼ inch wide, are irregularily spaced on the stem. Leaves are elliptical with a rounded or blunt tip, softly textured surfaces, slightly wavy edges, and parallel veins.

Fruit:

Fruit is a brown capsule filled with dust-like seeds.

Notes:

Ram's-head Lady's-slipper is a rare orchid in Minnesota. According to the DNR, it was once found throughout our forested regions, but habitat loss from activities such as logging have caused its decline. It was listed as a state Endangered species in 1984 but downgraded to Threatened in 1996.

While committed that more people come to learn, love and appreciate our native plant heritage, and we encourage people to get out and explore for themselves, we struggle with how much locational data we share. Humans have a great tendency to carelessly destroy that which they would love. Plants that are poached from the wild do not survive transplantation and only further diminish the ever decreasing population. The Ram's-head lady's-slipper is much sought after as it is as beautiful as it is rare, but you must remember you trespass in its garden and great humility and caution are demanded in its presence.