Pale Grass Pink Calopogon pallidus

Pale Grass Pink is a native perennial orchid found in moist areas such as bogs, pinelands, and meadows and is known to flower abundantly after disturbances such as wildfires. It is found in the coastal areas from Virginia to Florida and west to Louisiana, including the sandhills and coastal plains of North Carolina. This unusual plant produces several pink or white non-resupinate flowers and grass-like basal leaves. The flowers of this orchid have the lip on the upper part of the bloom as a way to trick bees in for pollination. The blooming period is long and Pale Grass Pink flowers later than other species of Calopogon, with the exception of C. tuberosus.

Pale Grass Pink grow from a globose or elongated corm (a short vertical underground stem). There is 1 or rarely 2 linear, grass-like leaves. Flowers appear in racemes with 3 to 20 flowers per raceme approximately ½ inch apart on the raceme. Flowers open sequentially from the base to apex of the raceme with 1-3 flowers open at any one time. The 1 inch flowers are the smallest of any Grass Pink species. Flower color ranges from pale pink or purple through white. The flowers are slightly fragrant. This is our smallest flowered species of Grass Pink. It also flowers later than other species, and for a longer period of time.

As with all native orchids, you should not dig or pick them. This plant is not recommended for the home landscape and is, perhaps, best left in its native habitat to enjoy.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known pests or diseases.