# Tongue Orchid (*Serapias lingua*)

The Tongue Orchid is a beautiful flower that looks like a little tongue sticking out! It has unique shapes and colors that make it special. This flower loves to grow in sunny spots and can be found in fields and meadows.

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

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

Photo: Francesc Xavier Yuste Medina, User: Xyuste, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Serapias_lingua.jpg)

## Appearance

The Tongue Orchid has unique greenish-brown sepals and petals that form a protective hood over its distinctive, reddish-purple or brownish-pink lip. This prominent, often hairy 'tongue' hangs forward, making it instantly recognizable and giving the flower its name.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Its name "lingua" means "tongue" in Latin, for its unique flower lip!
- Some scientists believe it might trick male bees by pretending to be a cozy nest.
- This sneaky orchid often offers no nectar, making pollinators work for free!
- You can find this unique flower hiding in sunny Mediterranean fields and scrublands.

## Special abilities

- **Clever Mimicry:** Tongue Orchid can mimic female solitary bees with its flower shape and subtle scent, tricking male bees into pollinating it.
- **Hairy Landing Pad:** Tongue Orchid has a fuzzy, tongue-like lip that feels like a female bee's body, encouraging male bees to land and pick up pollen.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-40 cm
- **Spread:** 5-10 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** solitary bee (*Eucera nigrilabris*) — attracted by deceptive mimicry, no reward offered
- **Pollinates:** [tawny mining bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-mining-bee) (*Andrena fulva*) — tricked by the flower's appearance and texture
- **Eaten by:** [garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — snails can browse on the leaves and flowers

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers in the wild, so they can keep growing!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Tongue 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 Tongue Orchid?

10-40 cm

### How wide does Tongue Orchid spread?

5-10 cm

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

1-2 cm

### When does Tongue Orchid bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Tongue Orchid edible?

No

### Is Tongue Orchid toxic?

None

### What is Tongue Orchid's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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: [Tongue Orchid: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tongue-orchid)