Oreorchis patens

Stiff, upright, pleated foliage emerges in late summer and lasts until early Spring. You should try and keep this growing as long as possible to ensure maximum vigour. Subterranean flower buds are evident in Autumn but it is not until late spring or early summer that the 2cm flowers actually appear. These are held on 20-30cm tall spikes. The blooms have yellow-brown to yellow petals surrounding a white to pale yellow lip which is spotted with deep blood-red and purple. Although small (though larger than, for example, a Dactylorhiza flower) it bears close examination, as it is very beautiful.

A hardy orchid from cool mountain woodlands at high elevations where its creeping, pseudobulb-bearing, branching rhizome creeps shallowly in leafy soils in shade.

Plant with the pseudobulb just below the surface in a leafy or humus rich soil, in humid shade - "Trillium conditions".

Named as long ago as 1859, by Lindley, but very little seen, which is in fact true of the entire genus.