Wild orchids on Cape Cod? Seeking the pink lady s slipper
PROVINCETOWN They are the glamorous show-stoppers of the forest. Pink lady s slippers, the wily and wild orchids, always a thrill to see and often pretty hard to find. I knew it was about time for them to bloom, so I trucked up to the Clapp s Pond conservation area, put on my flower detective hat and started poking around.
Lady s slippers might be the first flower name I learned as a kid. We would roam around the woods and stumble on one of these wicked weird-looking pink balloons, and then some kid-in-the-know would say don t pick it it s a $50 fine! That was a stunning thing to imagine: one pluck could send you to plant jail or at least cost you your life savings!