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MN State Flower LbNA #30834

Owner:Wisconsin Hiker
Plant date:May 5, 2007
Location:
City:Wabasha
County:Wabasha
State:Minnesota
Boxes:1
Found by: Dartmoor Dreamer
Last found:Aug 7, 2008
Status:FFaFFFa
Last edited:May 15, 2016
Last found/checked: 5-MAY-07

Location: A state forest area located southwest of Wabasha. Take Hwy 60 west out of Wabasha. After approximately 5 miles you will come to County Road 81 (CR-81). Turn left (south) and drive for ½ mile to regurK Forest Unit on the left. Drive all the way back to the end of the lot, near a paved trail.

Hiking time: Approximately 1 hour roundtrip

Terrain: About half on paved trail and half on a grassy, hilly trail.

The pink and white lady’s slipper, also knows as the showy lady’s slipper or queen’s lady slipper, was adopted as the state flower in 1902. Found living in open fens, bogs, swamps, and damp woods where there is plenty of light, lady's slippers grow slowly, taking up to 16 years to produce their first flowers. They bloom in late June or early July. In its first year, this orchid grows only as tall as a pencil point. However the plants live for up to 50-100 years and eventually can grow up to four feet tall.

The flower seems to be fairly rare and is probably not found in this forest, other than in the box. However we did see lots of other wildflowers when we planted this box, so keep your eyes open!

Head into the woods on the paved path. Take a right at the fork. Cross one bridge, but ignore the next. At the fork, take the path at 30 degrees. Next you could take a rest or continue further to a picnic spot. At the picnic spot the pavement ends and it is time for a climb…

Take the grassy path uphill. Turn left at the “T” and continue your climb until you reach a clearing at the top. At a post with blue diamonds, head north around an evergreen. The showy flower is hiding under a branch of the second tree to the west, on the north side of the tree.

Please reseal, replace and rehide everything carefully so this box is available for future visitors.

Retrace your steps to return to your vehicle. It’s all downhill from here! Be careful going down the hill so you don’t miss your turnoff. If you see two arrows, you missed it – go back up a short ways to find it.

Since we don’t live in the area, status reports would be greatly appreciated!


Hike length: 1-2 miles