Butterfly Orchid Platanthera
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Butterfly Orchid:
- Phonetic Spelling
- pla-TAN-ther-uh
- Description
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Plants in this genus of wildflowers belong to the orchid family and are known as Butterfly Orchids or Fringed Orchids. There are about 100 species with 37 being native to North America. They grow in a wide range of soil types and habitats with most requiring moderate moisture. The flowers are generally borne singly in various colors and can be sparse to dense and showy. In NC, P. psycodes is a small purple Fringed Orchid native to the mountains and is 1 of 16 native to our state. However, many are threatened or rare.
Depending on the variety, they could be used in wetland or woodland sites.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Platanthera
- Family:
- Orchidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
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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:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are orchid in shape and can have fringed lower lips or not. Some have long spurs. Various colors.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Lower leaves are lance-shaped, smaller upper leaves
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- 1 to 2 foot stem
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
