Over the last ten years, scientists from Longwood Gardens have been researching native orchid species to support conservation objectives. Lady’s slipper orchids, in the genus Cypripedium, are perhaps the most recognizable native orchids in the U.S. and a flagship genus for temperate orchid conservation worldwide. Despite significant efforts to understand their ecology, taxonomy and horticultural requirements, gaps in available knowledge remain.
This presentation will discuss the research at Longwood Gardens, including current projects, fieldwork to find plants, efforts to collect seeds and efforts to propagate plants from seed and establish them in gardens. Special attention will be given to Cypripedium kentuckiense, a rare species in the wild that has become a focal point of conservation efforts.
Peter Zale, Ph.D. is the Director of Conservation Horticulture and Collections at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. He leads a team focused on conservation horticulture, plant exploration, plant breeding and living collections through field, garden and laboratory-based approaches. His primary effort at Longwood has been developing and implementing a comprehensive conservation horticulture program focused on orchids native to the U.S. In 2024, he was awarded the Philip E. Keenan Award for contributions to native orchid conservation in the U.S.
A light reception will follow the lecture.