Platanthera huronensis, June 23, 2021
Common & scientific name
Huron bog orchid, Platanthera huronensis
Family
Orchid, Orchidaceae
Location
Roadside, 10,000’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Huron bog orchid, one of our area’s most common, is found streamside, in ditches, and all manner of wet places, often alongside White bog orchid. It can be difficult to tell this apart from our other green bog orchid, Platanthera hyperborea, also green/greenish-white, also hanging out in similar areas. I’m calling this one P. huronensis based on the shape of the lip (the lower petal sticking straight out), which is wider at the base and tapers toward the end, while P. hyperborea’s lip is wider for longer, then tapers more quickly to a point. Or something like that: good luck and just enjoy the orchid! (Also, the smell is generally not as strong as that of White bog orchid.)