Wikimedia Commons
Orchidaceae
Late Spider Orchid
Ophrys fuciflora
Deception and beauty.
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Genus
- Ophrys
- Native to
- Europe, Western Asia
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 6-18 in
- Sunlight
- full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- alkaline, calcareous, well-drained
- Water
- low to moderate
- Hardiness
- 6-9
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The flower mimics the appearance and scent of a female bee to lure male bees into attempting to mate, achieving pollination.
- Each Ophrys species typically deceives only one or two specific pollinator species.
- In the UK, it is extremely rare and found almost exclusively on chalk grasslands in Kent.
- The lip of the flower has a velvety texture that further enhances its resemblance to an insect body.
- Charles Darwin was fascinated by Ophrys orchids and devoted an entire book to orchid pollination mechanisms.
Color meanings
0
seduction
1
intricate beauty
2
mimicry