Early Marsh-orchid

Dactylorhiza incarnata

The Early Marsh-orchid is a beautiful flower that grows in wet places. Its pinkish-purple blooms are a delight to see in spring and summer, attracting many butterflies and bees.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Early Marsh-orchid has a sturdy, unbranched stem topped with a dense spike of many small flowers. Its blooms range from pale pink to deep purplish-red, often with darker spots or lines on the lower lip. Broad, unspotted leaves clasp its stem, giving it a robust appearance.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAsparagalesFamilyOrchidaceaeGenusDactylorhiza

Early Marsh-orchid

Interesting facts

Early Marsh-orchids can live for many years, quietly returning to bloom each summer from underground!

Its dust-like seeds are so incredibly tiny, they need a special fungus to help them sprout underground!

People once made a warm, nourishing drink called 'salep' from the dried tubers of some marsh orchids!

The scientific name 'Dactylorhiza' means 'finger-root' because its tubers resemble tiny hands!

Special abilities

Early Marsh-orchid can thrive in waterlogged, nutrient-poor marsh soils, using specialized roots to absorb oxygen and nutrients efficiently.

Its flowers offer no nectar but still attract pollinators by resembling nectar-rich flowers, ensuring reproduction without reward.

Early Marsh-orchid can hybridize with other marsh orchids, allowing it to adapt to new environments and create new varieties.

Measurements & details

Height: 15-60 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

visits its flowers, aiding in pollen transfer.

pollinates

White-tailed Bumblebee

Bombus lucorum

helps transfer pollen between orchid flowers.

eaten by

Black Slug

Arion ater

sometimes grazes on its leaves and tender shoots.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Medicinal

Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.