Yellow Fringed Orchis

(Platanthera ciliaris)

Yellow Fringed Orchis (Platanthera ciliaris [L.] Lindl.)

Identification: Flower yellow, with a long, rear spur. Lower petal rectangular, heavily fringed. Spur approximately twice as long as the fringed lower petal. A fringed lobe contained within the upper concave petal. Upper petal concave, helmet-shaped. Flowers arranged in a tight apical spike. Middle of the stem with small, narrow, pointed leaves. Bottom leaves, larger, but similar in shape. Plant 1 to 2 feet in height.

Distribution: Michigan in the west to New York in the east, southward to Florida and Texas.

Habitat: Yellow Fringed Orchis is found in grassy bogs and soil with a high peat content.

Flowering period: July to August.

Similar Species: The flower spur of Yellow Fringed Orchis is much longer than that of Crested Yellow Orchis, nearly twice as long as the fringed, lower petal. The flowers of Ragged Fringed Orchis are greenish-yellow or white, not bright yellow.