The Calypso orchid (commonly called the fairy slipper or Venus’s Slipper ) grows in many regions; however, many people travel from far and wide to the Columbia Gorge in Oregon to see beautiful displays of the Calypso orchid growing in old growth forest. The calypso is easily disturbed and it does not transplant well because its single leaf has a very limited ability to photosynthesize and it cannot provide all the nutrients the plant needs. As a result this orchid is dependent on very specific soil fungi available in undisturbed forest to provide the nutrients that this orchid needs. Thus, you will have to hike in the undisturbed forest to see it growing. The calypso orchid is named after a Greek nymph in Homer’s “Odyssey”. The calypso nymph lived a solitary life on an island. After Odysseus was washed ashore on the nymph’s island, the nymph kept him prisoner for seven years. This orchid truly has the ability to capture a hiker’s heart. In the old growth forest in Columbia Gorge, the calypso orchids often look like small pink pearls on a sea of drab browns and greens. These tiny flowers are only an inch wide; however their brilliant magenta color and boldly patterned lip make up for their small size. Seeing the picture is wonderful, but it is no comparison to seeing them live in an old growth forest.
The Calypso orchid (commonly called the fairy slipper or Venus’s Slipper ) grows in many regions; however, many people travel from far and wide to the Columbia Gorge in Oregon to see beautiful displays of the Calypso orchid growing in old growth forest. The calypso is easily disturbed and it does not transplant well because its single leaf has a very limited ability to photosynthesize and it cannot provide all the nutrients the plant needs. As a result this orchid is dependent on very specific soil fungi available in undisturbed forest to provide the nutrients that this orchid needs. Thus, you will have to hike in the undisturbed forest to see it growing. The calypso orchid is named after a Greek nymph in Homer’s “Odyssey”. The calypso nymph lived a solitary life on an island. After Odysseus was washed ashore on the nymph’s island, the nymph kept him prisoner for seven years. This orchid truly has the ability to capture a hiker’s heart. In the old growth forest in Columbia Gorge, the calypso orchids often look like small pink pearls on a sea of drab browns and greens. These tiny flowers are only an inch wide; however their brilliant magenta color and boldly patterned lip make up for their small size. Seeing the picture is wonderful, but it is no comparison to seeing them live in an old growth forest.