Showy Orchis

Showy Orchis
Orchis spectabilis

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The Southern Appalachians is home to many native orchids - but if we had only one species, surely this would have to be the one.It is a very small plant, rarely over 5 or 6" in height, so you might overlook them as you're walking. They prefer cooler, moist rich hardwoods, where the soil is not too acid, under filtered sunlight. The 2 or 3 smooth oval leaves will begin to come up in April - at first they are tightly furled together and look like a small green rosette poking up from the ground. By late April and early May these orchids are blooming. The flowers nearly defy description- but the picture says it all. They are not uncommon - and where they do grow, they often grow profusely. Just be sure to look in cooler moister mid-elevations.

A note on the nomenclature (naming conventions) on this site: Scientific names and classifications are constantly being argued and changed, and it drives me nuts. Although I use many different sources for knowledge, for naming consistency I use the "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" by Radford, Ahles and Bell, 1968 edition. This book is a well-established authority for the plants of our region and I've been using it for years. If for some reason I must use a different source for a particular plant, I will make note of it within the descriptive text. Don't like it? Tough!

fdudley@weaversites.com

Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787

828-231-1501