Species PlantsDragon's Mouth Orchid

Dragon's Mouth Orchid

Arethusa bulbosa

RarePlant
Illustration of Dragon's Mouth Orchid (Arethusa bulbosa)

Dragon's Mouth Orchid is a small, exquisite bog orchid that produces a single bright pink flower with a fringed magenta-spotted lip atop a slender leafless stem, with a single grass-like leaf appearing after flowering. It grows in open sphagnum bogs, fens, and boggy meadows across northeastern North America and is considered rare to uncommon throughout its range due to the loss of its specialized bog habitat. Like many orchids, it is pollinated by bees via deception and requires specific mycorrhizal fungi to germinate and grow.

Habitat
Open sphagnum bogs, fens, boggy wet meadows
Diet
Pollinated by queen bumblebees via nectar deception; no food value to wildlife
How common
Rare

Best time to see a Dragon's Mouth Orchid

The best time to see a Dragon's Mouth Orchid is June, when about 77% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 1,319 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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