# Broad-leaved helleborine (*Epipactis helleborine*) The Broad-leaved helleborine is a beautiful flower that grows in shady places. It has broad leaves and tall stems with clusters of lovely greenish-purple flowers that bloom in summer. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 23 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Broad-leaved helleborine](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Epipactis_helleborine_flowers1_220703.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Epipactis_helleborine_flowers1_220703.jpg) ## Appearance The Broad-leaved helleborine has a tall, leafy stem holding many small, drooping flowers. These unusual orchid flowers are often greenish-purple or brownish, making them hard to spot against their woodland backdrop. It stands out with its broad, ribbed leaves spiraling up the stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Orchidaceae - **Genus:** Epipactis ## Interesting facts - It's a wild orchid, but it grows in many places, even your garden! - It's part of the huge orchid family, one of the biggest plant families on Earth! - Its flowers are often greenish-purple, making them tricky to spot in dappled shade! - This plant can sometimes grow straight out of cracks in pavements or old walls! ## Special abilities - **Wasp Whisperer:** Broad-leaved helleborine produces nectar that can slightly intoxicate wasps, making them efficient pollinators. - **Underground Eater:** Broad-leaved helleborine uses special root fungi to help it absorb nutrients from the soil, especially as a seedling. - **Seed Shower:** Broad-leaved helleborine creates thousands of dust-like seeds that can travel far on the wind to find new homes. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** common wasp (*Vespula vulgaris*) — Attracted to its nectar - **Eaten by:** [black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs feed on its leaves - **Eaten by:** [roe deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Deer graze on the plant ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick flowers; they are best enjoyed in nature! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Broad-leaved helleborine? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Broad-leaved helleborine? 20-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on Broad-leaved helleborine? 1-2 cm ### When does Broad-leaved helleborine bloom? Summer ### Is Broad-leaved helleborine edible? No ### Is Broad-leaved helleborine toxic? Mild ### What is Broad-leaved helleborine's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Broad-leaved helleborine pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Bald Eagle State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bald-eagle-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Blake Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blake-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Forts Baker, Barry, and Cronkhite](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/forts-baker-barry-and-cronkhite) — California, US · Historic District - [Greenfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenfield-park) — Wisconsin, US · Park - [Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jasper-ridge-biological-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Parc de l'île Saint-Quentin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-de-l-le-saint-quentin) — Quebec, CA · Park [View all places to see Broad-leaved helleborine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/broad-leaved-helleborine) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Broad-leaved helleborine: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broad-leaved-helleborine)