....it kept growing, yet I couldn't see a bit of green anywhere! Was it a fungus of some sort? It has definate leaves, though....
...still growing taller all the time...
....and developing buds! I scoured my wildflower books, and at this stage I thought it might be pinesap , but it just didn't look right.
About a week later, this is what I saw! Friends, I think we have an orchid of some sort here!
There's a pinkish hue, no fragrance, and still no green in the leaves! More internet searches, and I discovered the identity:Epipactis helleborine , a.k.a. "weed orchid"! Weed?! What?!
Someone considers this cute little orchid to be a weed? That's just kooky talk! According to the links, most of the time this plant does have green, as well as some other colors. Mine is an aberration-even more cool!
As the orchid died back, I was hoping for seed pods...
...but that was not the case. Ah well, I sure hope it comes up again next year!
There's a pinkish hue, no fragrance, and still no green in the leaves! More internet searches, and I discovered the identity:Epipactis helleborine , a.k.a. "weed orchid"! Weed?! What?!
Someone considers this cute little orchid to be a weed? That's just kooky talk! According to the links, most of the time this plant does have green, as well as some other colors. Mine is an aberration-even more cool!
As the orchid died back, I was hoping for seed pods...
...but that was not the case. Ah well, I sure hope it comes up again next year!
13 comments:
What a great find! It certainly is attractive.
Jan
Always Growing
Stunning. And good detective work Lisa. Our native orchids are becoming so rare around here its really sad.
Troutbirder-Thank you! Seems like the longer I let my lawn "go wild", the more pleasant surprises I get! :)
Jan- I think so, too! Blows my mind that anyone could consider this a "weed", I mean HOW many of these demure little plants could be "too many"? It's not like they produce poisonous sap or burs that stick to your clothing...y'know?
It's beautiful! I always let mystery plants grow until I can see what they are, but they're usually weeds that go to seed before I catch them. I hope yours comes back.
Laurel-I just love to let the "weeds" go, so many nice surprises have come from it!
Maybe its surprise appearance is what got it the weed name. Lots of things have weed in the name that I love--milk weed, butterfly weed, joe pye weed--so I wouldn't worry about something being cute and weedy! :)
You're absolutely right about that, lots of terrific plants have "weed" in their names with no negative connotation at all. I was just surprised that this came into play with an orchid whose surprise appearance was totally pleasant :)
Funnily enough, I found one of these in my garden in 2008 and thought it was beautiful. Weed, harumpf! I think not! :) If you want to see it in different colouring, scroll to the end of this post on my blog:
http://knatolee.blogspot.com/2008/07/we-need-two.html
Thank you for showing me the colorful version! Did yours come back this year as well? Your kitties are so handsome! :)
Wow, what a nice surprise. I have found a few wild orchids here, but none that really LOOK like orchids, like that one does.
Heh, that orchid appearance was the only way I'd have ID'd it for sure. Glad to hear that you are finding orchids as well, too many spots in this country are devoid of cool wildflowers these days.
I think your "weed" is awfully attractive, definitely more so than some of the native orchids I've found. (like Rurality said)
Heh, this wild orchid is prettier than the poor orchids I try to grow in the house, for sure! :)
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