"The shoe that comes out of the flower" - the shoe-shaped flower gives the plant this name. This orchid is a sensitive species and loves semi-shaded riparian forests. In Europe's largest contiguous lady's slipper area, the Lechauen near Martinau, it colonizes the water-permeable limestone gravel soil of the pine dry floodplain forest. Due to the rich stocks of lady's slipper, this area is one of the most valuable riparian forests in Central Europe. Take a walk through the Lechauen near Martinau and be amazed. Spectacularly luminous lady's slipper plants line a 450 meter long network of paths. Not only botanists go into raptures at this beautiful sight!

The lady's slipper is very sensitive and highly endangered due to plundering and habitat destruction. Therefore, we ask all visitors to behave responsibly and indulgently so that this population can be preserved and admired in the future.
The mountain guards of Elmen-Pfafflar and Vorderhornbach take care of this treasure on a voluntary basis during the blooming period (only from mid-May to mid-June).
Many thanks!

Simply beautiful - is the title of the short film by Umweltdachverband GmbH. Get first impressions of the unique lady's slipper area in the Martinauer Au. We hope you enjoy watching the film!