Atsumori-so

Atsumori-so (Cypripedium macranthos var. speciosum) is the Japanese variety of C. macranthos, a slipper orchid ranging widely from eastern Europe to East Asia. Its Japanese name likens the pouched lip to the horo cloak worn by the warrior Taira no Atsumori, pairing it with kumagaiso, named after Kumagai Naozane. It grows in Hokkaido and Honshu, favouring cold regions and appearing at lower altitudes further north, in grassland and open woods. Plants are 30-50 cm tall with three to five alternate leaves and usually one (rarely two) red-purple pouched flowers at the top of the stem; the top dies back in winter. It has been among the most heavily poached orchids, and in 1997 it was designated a Specified Class I Nationally Rare Species under the Act on Conservation of Endangered Species. Collecting wild plants is prohibited in principle. The Specified Class I category covers species that can be bred commercially; asymbiotic seed culture, once very difficult, is now established, and plants on the market are artificially propagated. Selling or distributing it as a business requires prior notification to the Ministers of the Environment and of Agriculture (a Specified Domestic Species Business), and displays or adverts, in shops or online, must show the notification number and other details. As a plant of cold northern regions it must be kept from overheating in summer in warm areas, and it is considered very difficult to grow. It is listed as Vulnerable on the Ministry of the Environment Red List.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Atsumori-so grows to 30-50 cm tall.

Sparing, dilute liquid fertilizer in the growing season