The wonderful and very rare Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) has been in flower again this June. The Valley de Tena is luck enough to have a population of around a dozen of these fantastic plants.
It’s one of only 3 populations left in the Pyrenees – the others are in the Valle de Pineta and the Cataluynan Pyrenees. They were discovered by a French botanist in the 80’s right next to a new road to Formigal. Whlst they are in flower they are guarded continuously. Around 6 plants are in an area where you can walk and photograph them and the others are kept behind a roped walkway. The guardian tells me that in the area where peole can walk no new orchids are growing while in the roped area lots of new plants are coming up which is great news.

Lady’s Slipper Orchid