Platanthera elegans, the Elegant Piperia, is the most beautiful and showy of the five Platanthera species formerly classified as Piperia species that can be found here in Washington and the Pacific Northwest. It grows to nearly 100 cm tall, though most plants are smaller and has a head of densely packed flowers that, though small (less than 1 cm), put on a good show with up to 80 flowers per stem. These are often found on dry sunny slopes and the dry summer we had earlier is almost certainly the reason they were in bloom so early. We found the first in the area of Deception Pass, though only a few of them were blooming yet.
June 24
(Whidbey Island)
(Whidbey Island)
July 25
(Whidbey Island)
4 comments:
The top posted photo of the Elegans knocked me off my chair!
Congratulations, just gorgeous. Thank you.
cherie
Thanks, Cherie. Nice to hear from you again. Saw a lot of these this summer and found them in several new locations. Certainly deserving of the name "elegans."
I love the layout of the flowers in this species. Wonderful, Ron. Hugs
This is by far and away the most beautiful of our Piperias, Angel. You should come and see them some day.
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