# Lizard Orchid (*Himantoglossum hircinum*)

The Lizard Orchid is a special flower that looks like a little lizard! It has long, green leaves and beautiful purple flowers that can make you smile when you see them in nature.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Lizard Orchid](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Himantoglossum_hircinum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Himantoglossum_hircinum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Lizard Orchid has tall, slender stems bearing numerous greenish-yellow flowers with strikingly long, twisted, reddish-brown or purple lips. These distinctive, elongated lips often curl and resemble a lizard's tail or tongue, giving the flower its unique name.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Orchidaceae
- **Genus:** Himantoglossum

## Interesting facts

- Each plant produces thousands of dust-like seeds, carried far by the wind!
- It can take up to 10 years for a tiny Lizard Orchid seed to bloom!
- Its scientific name, 'hircinum,' means 'of goats' because of its musky smell!
- Some Lizard Orchid flowers have lips so long they twist like corkscrews!

## Special abilities

- **Musky Scent Signal:** The Lizard Orchid emits a strong, goat-like scent, helping it lure specific insect pollinators from afar.
- **Twisted Landing Strip:** Its uniquely long and twisted flower lip provides a distinct landing platform, guiding insects directly to its pollen.
- **Underground Powerhouse:** Lizard Orchids store energy in underground tubers, allowing them to survive harsh conditions and re-emerge year after year.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-80 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-6 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** [Red Mason Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-mason-bee) (*Osmia bicornis*) — attracted by scent and flower shape
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — visits flowers seeking nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** Red Slug (*Arion rufus*) — grazes on the orchid's leaves and stems

## 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.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [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.
- [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

Don't pick flowers in the wild; they are best enjoyed where they grow!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Lizard 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 Lizard Orchid?

30-80 cm

### How big are the flowers on Lizard Orchid?

3-6 cm

### When does Lizard Orchid bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Lizard Orchid edible?

No

### Is Lizard Orchid toxic?

None

### What is Lizard Orchid's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Lizard Orchid pollinated?

Insect

## Where to spot

- [Biosphärenreservat Bliesgau](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/biospharenreservat-bliesgau) — Saarland, DE · Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Lizard Orchid: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lizard-orchid)