06/01/2026
Can you dig up lady slippers?
The pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is one of New Hampshire’s most recognized wildflowers — and our official state wildflower since 1991. While it’s techinally legal to dig them up on your own property, it’s strongly discouraged.
These native orchids grow in very specific soil and climate conditions and rely on a symbiotic relationship with fungi to survive.
When transplanted, they often don’t make it, especially outside of the sandy, acidic soils they need. In many cases, plants decline or die within a few years.
Pink lady’s slippers also take a long time to establish, often a decade or more before blooming, and do not propagate easily from seed.
The best way to enjoy them is to leave them where they are and appreciate them in the wild.
