Photo and text by Don Paulson
Calypso Orchids (Calypso bulbosa)
Hiding among the mosses of forest floor, a calypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa) is a pleasure to discover. Use a magnifying glass to truly appreciate the striking and utterly distinctive blossom. Its fresh and spicy fragrance will delight you in the process. There is no shortage of enchanting common names for this little gem-of-the-forest: Fairy Slipper, Lady Slipper, Hider-of-the-North, and Venus Slipper, to name a few.
Each plant has only one parallel veined, ovate leaf and a single blossom. A tiny "bulb" is delicately affixed to the forest duff by a few thread-like roots which maintain a crucial association with specific species of fungus. Many well intentioned gardeners have found that it is virtually impossible to transplant these orchids, for once this mycorrhizal connection is broken, the the plant dies.
It takes a keen eye and a snail's pace to spot these little splashes of pink. Look for them in the lowland and montane forests in the south, east or northern Olympics in March to June depending on elevation.