Common Twayblade
ExplorePlants
Common Twayblade
Neottia ovata
The Common Twayblade is a special plant that grows in shady places like forests. It has beautiful green leaves and tiny flowers that look like little bells. This plant is quiet and likes to blend in with its surroundings.
Habitat: Forests
Appearance
The Common Twayblade is a subtle green orchid with two broad, oval leaves growing opposite each other low on its unbranched stem. Its tiny, greenish-yellow flowers are arranged in a loose spike, often blending in with its surroundings.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAsparagalesFamilyOrchidaceaeGenusNeottia
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Its name comes from its two large leaves, which look like two blades of grass!
The Common Twayblade can quietly live for many years in the same spot in the forest.
This plant produces hundreds of thousands of tiny, dust-like seeds that travel by wind!
Unlike many orchids, its small green flowers are perfectly designed for tiny insects, not big show!
Special abilities
Ability
Master of Camouflage
Common Twayblade has dull green colors that help it disappear into its leafy forest home, making it hard for grazers to spot.
Ability
Fungal Friendships
Common Twayblade can secretly get nutrients from tiny fungi in the soil, helping it grow even in poor conditions.
Ability
Sticky Pollen Delivery
Common Twayblade has a special sticky glue that squirts onto insects, ensuring its pollen hitches a ride to new flowers!
Measurements & details
- Height
- 15-50 cm
- Spread
- 5-15 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.5-1 cm
- Bloom Season
- Late spring to mid-summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
symbiotic with
Orchid Mycorrhizal Fungus
Rhizoctonia repens
Gets nutrients from this fungus to grow.
pollinates
Common Wasp
Vespula vulgaris
Attracted to its flowers, carrying pollen to other plants.
eaten by
Black Slug
Arion ater
Slugs and snails sometimes munch on its leaves.
pollinates
Fungus Gnat
Mycetophila fungorum
Small flies are often key pollinators for its tiny flowers.
Traits
Bell-Shaped Flower
Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell.
Deciduous
Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
Flowering
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Shade Tolerant
Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always look but don't touch plants in the wild, as some can be harmful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Common Twayblade?
15-50 cm
How wide does Common Twayblade spread?
5-15 cm
How big are the flowers on Common Twayblade?
0.5-1 cm
When does Common Twayblade bloom?
Late spring to mid-summer
Is Common Twayblade edible?
No
Is Common Twayblade toxic?
None
What is Common Twayblade's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Common Twayblade pollinated?
Insect
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