First, as biologists who have been summer residents for many years, it is heartening to see the concern everyone is expressing over the mistreatment of the islandâ??s showy ladyâ??s slippers. Last summer, two of the largest clumps on Kingâ??s Highway were clandestinely removed, and this year several individuals have been reported picking them. Like others in the forum, we support adopting the Homeland Security motto â??If you see something, say something.â? We hope that a little education and a lot of indignation will go a long way to protect our showies.
The showy ladyâ??s slipper, which is an orchid, is neither endangered nor threatened in the state of Michigan, but it is protected by Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 of 1994. Section 52901 of the Act reads â??A person shall not cut, remove, or transport, without having in possession a bill of sale from the owner or other evidence of title on a form prescribed by and available from the department or the department of agriculture or the federal agency that has jurisdiction, any of the following: ...All native orchids.â? This is the same law that protects trilliums, club mosses (princess pines), and Christmas trees, among others. A person caught digging or cutting showy ladyâ??s slippers, or any other orchid, such as pink and yellow ladyâ??s slippers, can be charged with a misdemeanor, jailed for up to 93 days, and fined up to $500.
Beaver Islandâ??s three ladyâ??s slipper species (showy, pink and yellow) are fickle plants that require certain fungi found in soil to germinate and grow. When a ladyâ??s slipper is dug up, it no longer has access to the fungi it needs to survive, and it will die. The plants grow very slowly too. They germinate from seeds so small they are called â??dust seeds,â? and it takes several years for the plants to flower after germination. They have a tendency to go dormant if spring conditions are not ideal, which is why we may not see them at a given location for a year or two, and then they suddenly appear again. Showy and yellow ladyâ??s slippers require open areas with adequate sunlight and specific soil conditions to grow and flower, and the closing in of the islandâ??s open areas is contributing to the confinement of plants to roadsides with appropriate habitat.
There is one last detail about picking showy ladyâ??s slippers that those inclined to do so might want to know. Some individuals develop a rash, similar to a poison ivy rash, after handling showies. There are small hairs on the plant that contain a chemical to which some individuals react. In other words, showies may get revenge on those who pick them!
On another note, giant hogweed has so far not been found anywhere on the island. All plants that we have examined are the native cow parsnip. Giant hogweed is on the federal Noxious Weed list, which means that it is illegal to sell or transport it across state lines. This helps protect the island because the plant cannot come in via nursery stock or purchased seeds.
Ed and Beth Leuck
More on showy lady's slippers and the law
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