Puttyroot Orchid

Puttyroot Orchid follows an unusual life cycle: a single, beautifully veined evergreen leaf appears in fall and persists through winter, dying back as the plant sends up a flower stalk in spring. The raceme of brownish-yellow and purple flowers is not showy but is charming on close inspection. It grows in rich, moist upland and bottomland forests across the eastern United States and is often overlooked except in winter when its solitary leaf stands out. Its common name refers to the glutinous substance in its corm once used as a glue.