Native Orchid Display

At the annual show of the Spokane Orchid Society to which we belong, I made and set up a display illustrating Washington's native orchids.  The display included photos, information, cut-out models of orchids and handouts.  The display won several ribbons and an Educational Excellent Award from the American Orchid Society.  These are the photos and information included in the display.

The three Orchid-gami, produced by the North American Orchid Conservation Center were:

Eastern Fairy Slipper

 Striped Coralroot

 Chatterbox (Epipactic gigantea)

The information on the display with the photos included
(top to bottom, left to right):

Chatterbox Orchid

lip "chatters" in the breeze

Washington’s only non-native orchid
Broad-leaved Helleborine
this orchid is a European native
which has established itself across North America

Washington’s most common orchid
Giant Rattlesnake Orchid

Washington’s most popular orchid
Fairy Slipper

Fairy Slipper Facts

Washington has two varieties of the Fairy Slipper
Eastern Fairy Slipper
distinguished by a yellow “beard”
and found across North America
and
Western Fairy Slipper
distinguished by a white “beard”
and found only west of the Rockies

where the range of these two varieties overlaps
a hybrid of the two can be found
Kostiuk’s Hybrid Fairy Slipper
distinguished by a finely spotted lip

Washington's rarest orchid
Chamiso's Orchid

Washington's smallest orchid
Heart-leaved Twayblade

Washington's three Lady's Slippers

Northern Yellow Lady's Slipper

Brownie or Clustered Lady's Slipper

Mountain Lady's Slipper

Orchid Facts

orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica
there are over 27,000 orchid species world-wide
many tropical orchids are ephiphytic, growing in trees
most North American orchids are terrestrial
all of Washington’s orchids are terrestrial
orchids have a modified third petal called a labellum
orchids have a fused male and female column
orchids have waxy masses of pollen called pollinia

Bog Candle
this is Washington's most fragrant orchid

 

Washington’s Weirdest Orchids

Washington has four Coralroot species
and the Phantom Orchid

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these orchids have little or no chlorophyll
and are leafless or nearly so

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they are mycoheterotrophic
getting nutrients from decaying soil materials
through a symbiotic relationship with a fungus

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they can often be found on dark forest floors
where there is little light

Phantom Orchid

Spotted Coralroot

Striped Coralroot

Early Coralroot

Western Coralroot

NATIVE ORCHIDS OF WASHINGTON STATE

the state of Washington has 33 orchid species

Fairy Slipper (April and May) Calypso bulbosa

Spotted Coralroot (April and May) Corallorhiza maculata

Brownie or Clustered Lady’s Slipper (April to June) Cypripedium fasciculatum - rare

Striped Coralroot (May and June) Corallorhiza striata

Western or Merten’s Coralroot (May and June) Corallorhiza mertensiana

Early or Yellow Coralroot (May and June) Corallorhiza trifida

Northern Yellow Lady’s Slipper (May and June) Cypripedium parviflorum – rare in Washington

Mountain Lady’s Slipper (May through July) Cypripedium montanum

Heart-leaved Twayblade (May through July) Neottia cordata

Phantom Orchid (June and July) Cephalanthera austiniae

Stream Orchid or Chatterbox (June and July) Epipactis gigantea

Frog Orchid or Long-bracted Green Orchid (June and July) Dactylorhiza viridis – rare in Washington

Western Ladies’ Tresses (June and July) Spiranthes porrifolia – rare in Washington

Northern Twayblade (June and July) Neottia borealis – rare in Washington

Northwestern Twayblade (June and July) Neottia banksiana

Blunt-leaved Rein Orchid (June and July) Platanthera obtusata – rare in Washington

Northern Green Bog Orchid (June and July) Platanthera aquilonis

Tall Green Bog Orchid (June and July) Platanthera huronensis

Giant Rattlesnake Orchid (June through August) Goodyera oblongifolia

White Bog Orchid or Bog Candle (June through August) Platanthera dilatata

Alaskan Piperia (June through August) Platanthera unalascensis

Chamisso’s Orchid (July) Platanthera chorisiana – rare

Sparse-flowered Bog Orchid (July) Platanthera sparsiflora – questionable in Washington

Slender Bog Orchid (July and August) Platanthera stricta

Elegant Piperia (July and August) Platanthera elegans

Flat-spurred Piperia (July and August) Platanthera transversa

Long-spurred Piperia (July and August) Platanthera elongata

White-flowered Piperia (July and August) Platanthera ephemerantha

Round-leaved Rein Orchid (July and August) Platanthera orbiculata – rare in Washington

Broad-leaved Twayblade (July and August) Neottia convallarioides

Hooded Ladies’ Tresses (July and August) Spiranthes romanzoffiana

Ute Ladies’ Tresses (August) Spiranthes diluvialis – rare in Washington

Broad-leaved Helleborine (August) Epipactis helleborine – not a native

Washington also has three known natural orchid hybrids

Kostiuk’s Hybrid Fairy Slipper (May) Calypso bulbosa x kostiukiae - rare

Columbia Hybrid Lady’s Slipper (May and June) Cypripedium x columbianum

Estes Hybrid Rein Orchid (June and July) Platanthera x estesii

Note: this list does not include varieties and subspecies.

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Do’s and Dont’s

1. Do watch for native orchids.

You may find something unusual or very rare.

2. Do ask.

If you can’t identify the orchids you find., there is always someone eager to help.

3. Do take photos.

Photos help in identification and in saying “look what I found!”

1. Don’t pick.

Picking the flowers often destroys the plant.

Picking or digging wildflowers is illegal in most places.

2. Don’t dig.

Most native orchids cannot be grown in a garden due to their association with a fungus.

2. Don’t trample.

When observing or photographing be careful not to trample the orchids or other plants.

3. Don’t tell.

Especially if you’ve found something rare, tell only those you trust where you found it.

Ron Hanko

http://nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com

Organizations:

1. Washington Native Orchid Society

sponsors 3-4 orchid-hunting excursions every spring and summer, mostly in western Washington

further information can be found at: http://www.wanativeorchids.org

2. Washington Native Plant Society

has different chapters around the state

sponsors hikes and nature walks in different areas

has a much broader interest than just native orchids

further information can be found at: https://www.wnps.org

3. Goorchids

sponsored by the North American Orchid Conservation Center

has information for identifying all North American orchids

produces the orchid-gami that are part of this display

further information can be found at: https://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org