By Larry Halverson/Friends of Kootenay 

The thin, brown petals spirally twist behind the flower’s luminous white slipper which is delicately veined with purple and has a yellow “tongue” that extends above the slipper’s opening. Get your nose down and sniff – you’ll be treated to a delightful sweet scent.

They occur in moist shaded, mossy coniferous forest and on gravelly outwash and stream banks. One of the best locations to view this orchid is along the Kimpton Trail. On July 11, 51 flowers were casually counted blooming by the trail edge between the switchbacks and the second avalanche path.

Above photo: Mountain Lady’s Slipper one of loveliest of Kootenay’s orchids – Photo by Larry Halverson

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