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Orchidaceae
Bee Orchid
Ophrys apifera
Deception and artistry.
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Genus
- Ophrys
- Native to
- Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- perennial terrestrial orchid
- Height
- 0.5-1.5 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- calcareous, well-drained grassland
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 6-9
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The lip of the flower mimics a female bee in both color and texture, tricking male bees into attempting to mate — a process called pseudocopulation.
- In Britain, where its pollinating bee species is absent, the bee orchid self-pollinates — an adaptation unique among European Ophrys species.
- Each individual flower's pattern varies slightly, and no two lip markings are exactly alike.
- It was formally described by botanist William Hudson in 1778 in his Flora Anglica.
- The plant can remain dormant underground for several years, re-emerging only when conditions are favorable.
Color meanings
0
illusion
1
ingenuity
2
hidden beauty