There are forty species of orchids which grow in the wild in Rhode Island. All are natives except for Epipactis helleborine. At least eight of these native orchids have not been seen in recent years: Galearis spectabilis, Isotria medeoloides, Liparis liliifolia, Listera cordata, Malaxis bayardii, Platanthera hookeri, Platanthera macrophylla, and Platanthera orbiculata.Some orchids such as Green Adder’s-mouth are small, inconspicuous and easily overlooked. Others, such as Pink and Yellow Lady’s-slippers are showy and more easily noticed.
Orchid habitat varies with species. Some species such as Malaxis usually grow in bogs or swamps while Spiranthes vernalis is found in dry fields. Platanthera lacera can be found in swamps and also in dry fields.
RI orchids bloom from early May into October and sometimes into November. The earliest species to bloom in RI is Corallorhiza trifida and the last is C. odontorhiza.
The information on Rhode Island Orchids come from several sources. The blooming dates are based on a list developed by Gil George. They include information on Massachusetts blooming times and data given to Gil by Richard Champlin. Champlin also had information from John Hudson, an earlier wild plant person. The county and status information is from Rick Enser's Rare Plants of RI and, for orchids not on the Rare Plant List, the status is taken from Gil George's Rhode Island Botanical Survey Check List, published in 1999. Francis Underwood provided habitat information and made sure the nomenclature was up-to-date. For a key to the status codes, click here.
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Click on "More Information" to go to the "species" page which includes information and blooming dates.The "species" pages are printer friendly.
Or click here for a pdf (1.37 mb) of the complete article.
If you know where you want to go, click on the nameof the genus
Arethusa
Calopogon
Corallorhiza
Cypripedium
Dactylorhiza
Epipactis
Galearis
Goodyera
Isotria
Liparis
Listera
Malaxis
Plantanthera
Pogonia
Spiranthes
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credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo Credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Norm Boyer |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Gil George |
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Upper Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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credit: Norm Boyer |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credits: Norm Boyer |
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Photo credit: Gil George
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Anne B. Wagner |
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Photo credit: Francis Underwood |
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Upper Photo: Anne B. Wagner; Lower Photo: Francis underwood |
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Photo credit: Doug McGrady |
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Photo credit: kbarton |
If you know where you want to go,
click on the nameof the genus
Arethusa
Calopogon
Corallorhiza
Cypripedium
Dactylorhiza
Epipactis
Galearis
Goodyera
Isotria
Liparis
Listera
Malaxis
Plantanthera
Pogonia
Spiranthes