Originally thought to be an aberrant form of Cypripedium parviflorum var.

However, molecular evidence suggests that C. kentuckiense is more closely related to Cypripedium parviflorum var.

The petals and sepals are greenish striped and mottled with purple while the very large lip, or pouch, is a creamy ivory or pale yellow.

Cypripedium kentuckiense is found in a large swathe through the Southern United States including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

It is found in a variety of habitats including floodplains, ravines, forests, and other areas on acidic or sandy soils.