Fairy Slippers (Calypso bulbosa), Rare Color Variation, Colorado

Fairy slippers, also called Calypso, are an orchid-like flower that is somewhat rare around here. They can be found in the woods a month or so after the snow melts. But white fairy slippers are rarer still. While I informally have called these albinos, Doug Robertson observes that that is not correct from a genetic viewpoint and the term "color morph" is more accurate. Here's a group that my wife found near Breckenridge.

This next one is from June 12, 2015, taken with a new camera (Canon T5i) and new lens (100 mm fixed, macro). This particular show was taken at ISO3200, which might be excessive, but it worked. This was the day after a hard hail storm, but the flowers generally survived.

Next one from June 3, 2018, 90 mm SONY macro lens.

Here are normal fairy slippers. This area had thousands of them in 2006 (and 2008 and 2009, etc).

Maybe the white ones aren't so rare after all. In June 2008, after a big snow year, hillsides near our house yielded thousands of fairy slippers, and many white ones. Here's a shot of a very white one.

And here are some very white ones from near our house in June 2009, after a damp spring.

And one by me from near our house.

And one more of the white variety, found near Mesa Cortina trail, June 10, 2015.

And here is one that survived a May 26, 2012, snowstorm. Many of its cousins lost their lives in this storm.

This next on June 21, 2015. They are starting to fade, bit it was a good season for them. Good detail with my new  100 mm macro lens.