Our brightest native: Platanthera peramoena

[tnyr5]

Nothing really compares. I assure you the color saturation is accurate, if not understated. The adult ones are 40in tall.
These tend to grow in...inhospitable places * washes his sawgrass cuts *

 

[Ray]

Love it!

 

[grubea]

Very beautiful!!

 

[CarlG]

Wow.

 

[Ozpaph]

that's colourful

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Beautiful species. I miss seeing orchids in the states.

 

[NYEric]

Nice. Purple aliens. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cnycharles]

Very nice! There’re some on edge of a farmers field near susq river, easy access

 

[tnyr5]

Yeah, I know about that batch too. It's really not that far from my town. Honestly, central PA is spoiled rotten when it comes to orchids.

 

[h_mossy]

Cute! The closeup looks like an unhappy purple duck.

 

[tnyr5]

Yeah, I know about that batch too. It's really not that far from my town. Honestly, central PA is spoiled rotten when it comes to orchids.

I actually sat down and thought about this after I said it. Within an approximate 60 mile radius of my house:

Aplectrum hyemale
Arethusa bulbosa
Calopogon tuberosus
Cypripedium acaule
Cypripedium parviflorum v. pubescens
Dactylorhiza viridis (don't know the location but it's been reported recently)
Epipactis helleborine
Epipactis palustris (on private property but it's there)
Galearis spectabilis (all 3 forms)
Goodyera pubescens
Goodyera tesselata
Isotria verticillata
Liparis lilifolia
Neottia cordata
Neottia smallii
Platanthera blephariglottis
Platanthera ciliaris
Platanthera clavellata
Platanthera flava
Platanthera grandiflora
Platanthera lacera
Platanthera orbiculata
Platanthera peramoena
Platanthera psycodes normal and white flowered
Platanthera x bicolor
Spiranthes cernua complex
Spiranthes lacera and lacera var. gracillis
Tipularia discolor


And probably a few I have yet to find. Expand it to 100 miles and you get at least half a dozen more. #spoiled

 

[spiranthes]

Are you a member of the Native Orchid Conference? If not, you should be!


Cathy
NOC board member

 

[fundulopanchax]

Beautiful! I have only seen these one time and the coloration of the flowers was magnificient. I have always wished I could get my hands on some seed as most Platanthera are pretty easy to grow from seed. Ray Price in Ohio has raised many thousands of Platanthera. I dont know if he is doing it currently but he has had contracts with states to grow Platanthera for reintroduction into the wild.

I have some Pl ciliaris that I have grown from seed over 4 generations now (the originals were seed grown by Ray). I always wanted to add Pl blepharoglottis to the patch since when I lived in South Carolina years ago the two formed mixed patches in wet meadows that could be many acres in size with thousands of blooming plants. A favorite place for them was the median along I-26 north of Charleston, which in many places was always a bit moist. I used to cry when the state lawn mowers went through during flowering season.

 

[tnyr5]

Of course the one that's supposedly NOT easy is this one, Lol.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Of course the one that's supposedly NOT easy is this one, Lol.

Perhaps, but if anyone could do it, it would be Ron.

 

[tnyr5]

Hmmm...this is true.