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Orchidaceae
Marsh Helleborine
Epipactis palustris
Elegance in humble places.
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Genus
- Epipactis
- Native to
- Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- herbaceous
- Height
- 8-20 in
- Sunlight
- full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- wet, calcareous, alkaline
- Water
- high
- Hardiness
- 5-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Unlike many orchids, marsh helleborine grows in open, sunny wetlands rather than shady forests.
- The flower's lip has a unique hinge mechanism that tips visiting insects toward the pollen, ensuring effective cross-pollination.
- It forms symbiotic relationships with specific soil fungi (mycorrhizae) without which the seeds cannot germinate.
- Colonies can spread extensively through underground rhizomes, sometimes forming carpets of hundreds of plants in suitable habitats.
- It is one of the few orchids that can colonize man-made habitats like old quarries, dune slacks, and alkaline water treatment areas.
Color meanings
0
refined beauty
1
humility
2
perseverance