An Alien!

[ronaldhanko]

The Broad-leaved Helleborine, Epipactis helleborine, is a European import first found in the USA around 1878. It is one of two Epipactis species found the Pacific Northwest.



Native Orchids of the Pacific Northwest and the Canadian Rockies: The Northwest's Two Epipactis Species

[Leafmite]

Nice plant! Hope it isn't invasive there. We have a local park that is almost completely suffocated by invasive species. The sad thing is, everytime a native starts to grow, the city workers (woefully ignorant) seem to accidently run over it with the mower. Ohio has a little booklet that lists the worst and you can find them all there...in great quantities.

[cbuchman]

I wish all aliens were so attractive. I guess it isn't too invasive if it's been here more than 100 years.

[ronaldhanko]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Nice plant! Hope it isn't invasive there. We have a local park that is almost completely suffocated by invasive species. The sad thing is, everytime a native starts to grow, the city workers (woefully ignorant) seem to accidently run over it with the mower. Ohio has a little booklet that lists the worst and you can find them all there...in great quantities.

Sad about the park but it doesn't happen only in city parks. We had two incidents in Olympic national Park two years ago. The staff mowed a roadside (why, I don't know, since it had never been mowed before, and mowed a whole stand of rare native orchids, a natural hybrid that I've seen only in that spot, and then in another area used a strimmer and destroyed a stand of the other Epipactis species, which is really rare in our state.

---------- Post added at 07:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:36 AM ----------

Originally Posted by cbuchman

I wish all aliens were so attractive. I guess it isn't too invasive if it's been here more than 100 years.

It isn't terribly invasive in that it doesn't seem to spread wildly, but in 100 years it has spread all the way from New York to Washington and California.

[Leafmite]

Looks like one of our park employees got a job working there. Sorry. That is just terrible!

[ronaldhanko]

Most employees, even in the National Parks, are simply clueless. Can't really understand how anyone can work in those places in not be interested in what's around them, but so it is, and I imagine that city employees are even worse.

[cythaenopsis]

^ Wow, that's super sad... hearing about such beautiful plants being ruthlessly destroyed by ignorant workers. Probably people working for a paycheck and could care less about what they're doing. Ignorance abounds.

[Stray59]

Ron:
I just clicked on the photo without looking at who posted the pic. When I saw the photo, I immediately knew it was your post - beautiful photo showing great detail with good lighting and a perfect positioning - had to be Ron's. Have I detected some fun-rivalry between you and your wife as to who gets what photo? You both seem to have "the eye" of really nice photographers.
Thanks for posting - always a pleasure to accompany you on an outing. How do you find the time to go on these great trips and also spend the time posting on Orchid Board? Not sure how you pull that off, but I am so glad you do!
Steve

[euplusia]

Wonderful how the colours shine against the background. Interesting to read that this species has captured northern America. I once had this species growing at the foundation of my greenhouse. Its here in the forests and can adapt to undisturbed garden conditions.

[WhiteRabbit]

beautiful! I just love these!