Platanthera aquilonis, June 27, 2022
P. aquilonis, Braille Trail, 10,400’, July 15, 2022
Common & scientific name
Northern green orchid, Platanthera aquilonis
Family
Orchid, Orchidaceae
Location
Roadside, 8,800’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Northern green orchid, like other similar members of the Platanthera genus, 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 huronenis, also greenish (but perhaps a bit more white on the petals), also hanging out in similar areas. I’m calling this one P. aquilonis based on the shape of the lip (the lower petal sticking straight out), which is wider for longer than P. huronensis and 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.)