When most people think of orchids, the first image that comes to mind are the bright pink or purple flowers you see in a supermarket, which tend to die as soon as you bring them home.
The second image that comes to mind is probably a beautiful flower in a lush tropical rainforest full of dark green and brightly colored singing and calling birds.
What if I told you that we have orchids here in East Central Indiana too? Many people probably don’t know that we have more orchids here than all of Hawaii.
There are 42 orchid species native to Indiana, while Hawaii has only three.
One of our most common orchids in East Central Indiana is the Nodding Lady’s Tresses (Spiranthes cernua).
Nodding Lady’s Tresses are small, delicate white flowers that you may not recognize as orchids at first glance.
On closer inspection you will recognize the characteristic orchid shape of the flowers with its lips and central column. The flower owes its genus name Spiranthes to the way the flowers revolve around each other in an upright spike.
This orchid blooms from late summer to mid-autumn and often grows in disturbed areas such as forest edges, damp meadows and wet thickets, making it relatively easy to find.
Another common orchid is putty root (Aplectrum hyemale). Putty root is a larger orchid with a flower stalk that can grow between 1 and 2 feet tall and produce between eight and twenty flowers. The flowers are yellow at the base with purple-tinged tips, making for an almost camouflaged flower that is easy to cover up on a walk.
More commonly found are putty root leaves, which lie flat on the ground and are 3 to 6 inches wide. The leaves have a pinstripe-shaped appearance, with white leaf veins that contrast with the otherwise dark green leaves. Putty root grows in rich forests and only blooms for about two or three weeks in May, so anyone wanting to spot some this year better act quickly!
Of course, we can’t discuss Indiana’s native orchids without mentioning the cream of the crop: the lady’s shoe orchids.
Named for their unique shape that somewhat resembles a delicate shoe, stunners such as the showy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae) and the smaller yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) draw crowds from far and wide in hopes of catching a glimpse of their beauty.
These orchids bloom from May to June, but finding one isn’t as easy as going into the woods.
Lady’s slipper orchids only grow in very acidic soil, which in Indiana is mainly found in swamps and fens.
Most of these acidic wetlands are found in the northernmost counties of the state, but we also have rare swamps and fens in East Central Indiana.
These habitats were once much more common in our state, but Indiana has lost about 85% of its wetlands since pre-colonial times. Now lady’s slipper orchids are confined to the few scattered swamps and fens that remain.
It’s another reason why protecting our wetlands is so important. Without the preservation of our remaining swamps and fens, East Central Indiana, and indeed the entire state, could lose its lady slippers forever. Indeed, it would be a real crime to prevent future generations from marveling at their beauty.
Indiana is home to many natural wonders, but even the most common orchid is truly beautiful to see. They can be hard to find, and even harder to find in bloom, but it is well worth the effort.
Besides, even if you don’t end up finding an orchid, you’ll probably still have a nice day in nature. You don’t have to book an expedition to a tropical rainforest to find wild orchids. So cancel that flight to Hawaii and head to the Hoosier countryside.
Natalie Grant is a stewardship coordinator for Red-tail Land Conservancy. Through her work in conservation, she is committed to combating the negative human impact on native ecosystems.
This article originally appeared in the Lafayette Journal & Courier: As of this month, Indiana orchids are in bloom
