# question on lady's slipper seed pod viability



## onionninja (Jun 23, 2008)

Hello Everyone,

I have a few small clusters of pink lady's slipper growing in the woods behind my house. Just recently, I noticed a phenomenon that got me slightly worried. As soon as the flower was fertilized, the flower would wither and the seed pod would fall off in a matter of days. I have researched lady's slippers quite a bit since I noticed this, but all the sources I've searched said nothing about the seed pod detaching before the seeds could be released. Is it normal for the seed pods to fall off before opening? If not, then are the seeds inside the pods still viable?

Additional information: Upon examination, it takes little provocation to make the seed pods drop. I believe it is the wind that is making them drop (we've had 2 harsh thunderstorms in the area with winds up to 60 mph in the last 2 weeks). However, the pods don't need gale-force winds to detach and will drop off at the slightest breeze.

Thank you all for your help and I look forward to reading your responses.


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## likespaphs (Jun 23, 2008)

i may be misunderstanding your question but if you're asking if the flower withers and falls off within a few days of pollination then the pollination was not successful. if the pollination is successful, the flower will persist and the ovary will swell. there are some photos if you click on this...


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## NYEric (Jun 23, 2008)

I don't know if I'd click on link to swollen ovaries dude! oke:


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## onionninja (Jun 23, 2008)

*ah, i see*

hmmm... that's probably the case. They're probably not being fertilized or fertilization isn't successful. I'm a newbie when it comes to orchids. With most of the flowers I've worked with, the flower whithers whether or not fertilization is successful. If what I'm seeing and interpreting is correct, then the flower should stay slightly vibrant post fertilization. Thanks a bunch for the info.


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## likespaphs (Jun 26, 2008)

i guess i'm a little confused by your answer as to whether or not i communicated it clearly.
if the pollination is successful, the flower will persist but if it is not successful, the flower will fall off. 
does that make more sense? or is that what you said and i just didn't get it?


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## fundulopanchax (Jun 27, 2008)

Interesting problem. Cyp pods take about 12 weeks from pollenation to become completely mature. If pollenation is not successful I have only rarely seen them begin to form and then fall off - usually they just wither and stay - they are attached very strongly.

I am not sure what the cause is of the phenomenon you are seeing.

Ron


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## likespaphs (Jun 28, 2008)

fundulopanchax said:


> ...If pollenation is not successful I have only rarely seen them begin to form and then fall off - usually they just wither and stay - they are attached very strongly....




i'm a little confused now...
if the flower is not successfully pollinated, are you saying the flower will just wither then stay, strongly attached, to the stem? i thought they always fell off if pollination wasn't successful...


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## Heather (Jun 28, 2008)

I'm totally confused by this conversation! 
I thought pollination caused the blossoms to wither as the seedpod formed, ripened, and stayed on the spike. As with other orchids. 

No?


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## cnycharles (Jun 28, 2008)

.......what's on second,.....


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## Corbin (Jul 2, 2008)

whose on thirdoke:

(if you do not know this is from a Three Stooges Joke)


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## John D. (Jul 2, 2008)

Abbot and Costello (revisited)


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