Terrestrial Orchids

Tony, I have always dreamed of encounter a Cephalanthera in the wild but this is almost as good!
Clair, I think your D fuchsii have a lot of maculata in them. The lip is more like a maculata than a fuchsii.

I'm sure you're right about the maculata genes in my hybrids, Trond, though it's interesting to note that the pure D. maculata species blooms later than the hybrids in my garden.  D. fuchsii is just beginning its bloom.  I'll post pictures when things peak.

Time of blooming depends as much on provenance as on species.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii 'Bressingham Bonus'

More hybrid dactylorhizas, good markings and a two-toned flower, and a happy pollinator, whom I can blame for all the mixed-up genes!

One last post -- a hybrid dactylorhiza showing lots of D. majalis influence (This was the one with leopard spotted leaves in an earlier post.)

Sources?  I started with 3 plants of D. fuchsii, 1 plant of D. maculata, and 1 plant of D. majalis, all gifts from gardening friends.  Since then, I've actively propagated each species and the bees have cross-pollinated things for me, so seedlings that arise in the garden can have a little of everything mixed in.  I've wholesaled many, many extra plants to nurserymen here in the Pacific Northwest and they've brought in plants from their own sources as well.  Far Reaches Farm in Port Townsend, WA, Keeping It Green in Stanwood, WA, and Edelweiss in OR have all offered dactylorhizas.  (Rick Lupp at Mt. Tahoma has had them for sale.)  Since it can be slow to build up stock, they often sell out pretty rapidly.

All of these plants have proven reliably hardy in my gardening zone, zone 7 or 8 depending on the winter.  Others in colder areas, like Rick Lupp near Mt. Rainier and friends down in Hillsboro, OR, have also overwintered dactylorhizas with no problems.

If anyone wants to trade plants, I'm open to that, especially if you will take a hybrid rather than a species.  Keeping a true line of species is difficult when they seed so readily.  I usually divide and replant bigger clumps at the end of summer when the stalks start to die -- August or September.

They are beautiful, Claire! Better than those I encounter in the wild here ;)

Mark, both fuchsii and maculata is very hardy species here, growing also in winter cold places. Majalis a little less, I presume.