Cypridpedium Abounding in Vermont

[Mark Walker]

Granted, we're talking about Ladyslipper Orchids and not flying orchids, but
they're just as beautiful and the idea is an incredible one.
 
Some on the list may recall my mentioning a friend Scott Durkee from Vermont
who has mastered a technique for propagating Ladyslipper orchids (genus
Cypridpedium) from seed in the laboratory - a process previously believed to
be impossible.  The process was designed to make available these beautiful
plants to all orchid fans with the potential of helping to stabilize and
potentially enhance the relatively few remaining wild populations through
propagation and minimization of collecting pressure.
 
Scott has recently announced a new web page that I thought you might be
interested in:
 
http://www.vtladyslipper.com/
 
Included are some nice photographs of the different species Scott has been
able to propagate.  I personally babysat the plants you see in the
photographs while Scott vacationed in Nova Scotia, so they're pretty special
to me.
 
Enjoy!
 
Mark Walker
Mission Viejo, CA