They've come back! Hardy little species orchid, 8 clusters of them this time. There were 3 clusters a few years ago.
The different clumps range in height from about 12 to 18" tall. They don't emerge from the lawn until the beginning of July, but when they finally put in their appearance, they take off and grow like crazy....
I have to be on the look out for them, and stake near them, 'cause Hubby will mow them down.......
I'll post a few pics..... it'll take a bit, on dial-up....
a closer look
another pic
What a very nice resident to have in your lawn! I love them :-)
--Ginny
and the other group of 3,
there's another clump on it's own near the spot where the first plant originally made it's appearance about 15 years ago.
What fun! They're like scattered presents in your grass. They're pretty, very healthy-looking plants.
bonkers - that is so cool. Have you posted any pictures of them on the Orchid forum. There's a group of regular posters that I suspect would love to see them...
Joanne
good idea Joanne,
I remember years ago the first time I saw the one lonely plant. Didn't have a clue what is was. Off to the library to identify it. Very surprised to learn that it was an orchid. (starts with an 'e'....... don't remember it's name though, time for another trip to the library, lol)
We do have a significant colony of pink ladyslipper orchids growing about a half hour from home, (in Purdons Conservation Area, with a boardwalk through, bloom through June) and there's a yellow ladyslipper orchid I found growing at my parent's cottage, (also about a half hour from our house)
I've since found more of these 'lawn' orchids in the forest at my parents cottage.... so they're more common that I first thought..... which is good. I love orchids, and have grown them in the house for years.. phals, cymbidiums and masdevallias. no ladyslippers, though, lol.
Hi driven, Last year, ViolaAnn and I set upon a quest to find out what this was that was popping up everywhere in our gardens. I emailed a local wildflower expert and she identified it as Epipactis helleborine. It's a non-native orchid. Here's some more info from the Orchid Society of Royal Botanical Gardens: http://www.osrbg.ca/files/EPI_HEL.HTM
Ever since it's been identified, I seem to see it everywhere. I think it's quite prolific. I think it must spread by seed. It's also hard to pull out. A lot of people like it though, after all, it is an orchid.
Here's the pic of mine I sent in for IDing last year.
Sandy
I'm afraid I still consider it a prolific weed.
This is a link to the ID thread I had going last summer.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/614594/
Usually I get them pulled out before they bloom, but this year, because I was gone for three weeks and really busy for three more weeks, I've found a few flowering and looking just like the pics above.
Ann
I'll happily grow that weed (trade you Hell's Bells for it). ;)
I find it's almost impossible to get the roots. I think they spread underground.
darn I'd love to try that one!
if anyone wants this 'flower out of place' I'll collect seed.......
we could experiment, 'just how hardy is this little orchid?' lmk
I have not found it's a weed in my yard
I'd like to try it. You've got DMail.
ok pam if it works for you; i'd try it too. It would be lovely in the gully. Is your hells bells the same as mine, that purple bell flower that when you first see one and have no experience you say 'how pretty' and regret it for the rest of your gardening life as you pull, pull, pull,......
LOLOLOLOLOLOL yeppers you just nailed it on the head Lynn. :'(
Sue those are just lovely. I'd let them grow in my lawn too. Much nicer that dandy lions. Pam, maybe you could get them to grow and shove out the campanula. I think the term hell's bells is a local coloquism (sp?). Can't find reference to it anywhere.
Pretty soon they'll be popping up EVERYWHERE!
I like it!
If you're collecting seed, I would love to experiement and see if they will grow here in zone 2.
Was out digging the border for my new Hosta garden and I came across some of this WEED about 5 inches deep with a couple of big healthy eyes and fleshy roots about 1/8 th inch in diameter that definitely spread underground. Once it gets established it is impossible to get rid of and it spreads all over. I don't really like it coming up in the middle of my lovely Hostas.
Ooooo Ann. You really don't like this one do you? LOL.
Some of the posters in the Orchid forum were wishing they had this plant - in their lawns, no less. double LOL.
Joanne
I have a silly question. (I hope it hasn't been asked and I missed it!?!?)
Why is it growing in your lawn??? *confused*
I wish I knew. It appeared maybe 7 or 8 years ago and has spread throughout the yard - front and back even though I pull or dig it as soon as I see it. It probably came in with some soil or a plant.
