Orchis mascula (Salep Orchid, Dead Mans Fingers, Male Orchis, Early-purple Orchid)
Botanical Information
| Family | Orchidaceae |
| Genus | Orchis |
| Species | mascula |
| Category | Bulbs, Perennials, Wildflowers & Weeds |
| Origin | Europe. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 5 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 6a |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H7 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -26 -(-23) |
| Temperature (°F) | -15 -(-10) |
| Height | 5 - 60 cm |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | April, May, June |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | A tuber growing to 0.6 m. |
| Propagation | By seed or division of the tubers. |
| Cultivation | Grow in well in full sun or partial shade in most soils, but it prefers a moist loam and lots of leaf mould. Requires a deep rich soil. |
| Notable Specimens | Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
| Habitat | It is mostly found in woodland, copses, grasslands and open pastures, mostly on neutral or base-rich soils. It can also occur in hedgerows, scrub, on roadsides and railway banks, and on limestone pavement and on moist cliff ledges. |
| Leaf Description | Long sheaths growing upward being a mild green colour covered in dark purple spots. |
| Flower Description | Light purple oval petals attached to lobes surrounding the top of the stem. |
| Fruit Description | Capsule, seeds tiny, like dust. |
| Texture Description | The flowers have a fairly pleasant odour from a distance |
Photographs
Orchis mascula, form.
Orchis mascula, flower.
Orchis mascula, form, Glendurgan Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Orchis mascula, flower head, Glendurgan Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Orchis mascula, flower head, Glendurgan Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Orchis mascula, flower head, Glendurgan Garden, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.