Liparis loeselii
(Fen Orchid)

Other pictures of this plant:


               Seedpod                                           Leaf                                            Stem                                        Seed                                          Habit

Facts About this Plant:

    Common Names: Fen Orchid, Yellow Widelip Orchid, Loesel's Wide Lipped Orchid, Bog Twayblade, Loesel's Twayblade
    Lifespan: Perennial
    Zones: 3 - 7
    Type: Forb
    Bloom Time: June - July
    Status: Native
    Range:

Liparis loeselii, or Fen Orchid, is native to the northeastern quarter of the US, and gets rarer the further you go out from there. It is particularly prominent in the northeast and Great Lakes areas. It is a hardy perennial orchid, which grows in fens, bogs, wet peaty swamps and marshes. It blooms in mid summer with tiny, threadlike petals that are green to yellow.

This plant is mostly distinct, but when not in bloom, its cousin, Liparis lilifolia is similar. When in bloom, you can easily tell them apart, because Liparis loeselii had thread-like petals that are green-yellow; meanwhile, Liparis lilifolia has a large brown hood on its flower, and brown stems on each flower, so the two are easy to tell apart. In addition, Liparis loeselii is a smaller plant and grows in wet situations like swamps and fens, while Liparis lilifolia is somewhat larger and grows in drier, rich woods.

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