Arethusa bulbosa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ar-eh-THEW-sa bul-BOH-suh
- Description
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Dragon's Mouth Orchid is a native, herbaceous perennial, wildflower in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) that is native from Canada south to the Carolinas. It is found in the mountains of North Carolina and prefers boggy sites, swamps, wet meadows and especially sphagnum bogs. The plant is named for the fountain nymph Arethusa, and the flower suggests an animal's open mouth.
It is generally a small plant, growing to a foot tall, although it has been known to reach 3 feet. It features a smooth stalk, bearing tubular, sheathing, nearly bladeless leaves, and topped by a single fragrant pink flower. It blossoms in spring to early summer with the grass-like leaf following. They are easy to overlook in their native habitat. The unusual lip-like petal serves as a platform for visiting insects, especially bumblebees, that enter the flower for nectar and leave with powdery pollen masses.
It is considered endangered and listed as "critically imperiled" in North Carolina. Transplanting this orchid from the wild is rarely successful and they are generally not sold commercially.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or other problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Arethusa
- Species:
- bulbosa
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Eastern Canada to Central and Eastern US south to SC
- Distribution:
- CT , DC , DE , IL , IN , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , VA , VT , WI Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
- Wildlife Value:
- bumblebees suck small amounts of nectar from the fragrant flowers
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is an erect capsule, ¾ to 1¼ inches long.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Forms a single flower (rarely two) with three solid pink sepals that are splayed erect over the flower. Two petals similar to the sepals form a hood over the showy lower lip. The lower lip curves out and down revealing wrinkled edges and purple speckling with fleshy white to yellow bristles. Inflorescence is terminal; floral bracts minute.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Flower stem with several tight narrow sheaths and an upper sheath-like leaf that extends after flowering to a narrow grass-like blade 7 to 10 inches long. Leaf is solitary and basal.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems and slender and scapose and, at base, a bulbous corm.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
