Calypso Orchid photo by Marlene Borneman
As we continue to stay at home and recreate nearby, it’s nice to remember that brighter days are ahead. Soon summer will arrive and our forests and meadows will be resplendent with wildflowers. No matter when the pandemic passes, the plants of the Estes Valley will endure.
One of the most colorful (and fragile) plants in the Estes Valley is Calypso bulbosa, otherwise known as the calypso orchid or fairy slipper. Calypso Cascades in Rocky Mountain National Park are named after this plant. It’s nice to know that the shaded and moist sites along some of your favorite trails will soon be brightened by this beautiful wildflower.
Since we are still a few months away from the C. bulbosa flowering season, we wanted to share a short film about another gorgeous orchid. Chasing Ghosts is a film about a rare orchid located in the swamps of south Florida. Join these intrepid researchers on their wet adventure to solve the ghost orchid mystery. Even the researchers were surprised at their findings!
And remember, soon, we’ll be able to see our own local orchid in bloom.