# 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. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Early Marsh-orchid](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dactylorhiza_incarnata_150508.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bernd Haynold, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dactylorhiza_incarnata_150508.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Orchidaceae - **Genus:** Dactylorhiza ## 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 - **Water Warrior Roots:** Early Marsh-orchid can thrive in waterlogged, nutrient-poor marsh soils, using specialized roots to absorb oxygen and nutrients efficiently. - **Mimicry Master:** Its flowers offer no nectar but still attract pollinators by resembling nectar-rich flowers, ensuring reproduction without reward. - **Shape Shifter Genes:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — sometimes grazes on its leaves and tender shoots. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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](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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick flowers; they are important for nature and help insects. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Early Marsh-orchid? 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 Early Marsh-orchid? 15-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Early Marsh-orchid? 1-2 cm ### When does Early Marsh-orchid bloom? Summer ### Is Early Marsh-orchid edible? No ### Is Early Marsh-orchid toxic? None ### What is Early Marsh-orchid's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Early Marsh-orchid pollinated? Insect ## 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: [Early Marsh-orchid: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/early-marsh-orchid)