Downy Rattlesnake Plantain is a native terrestrial orchid found across eastern North American forests, recognized by its beautiful evergreen basal rosette of dark green leaves marked with an intricate pattern of white veins that gives them a snake-scale appearance. In summer it sends up a spike of tiny white flowers. Despite its ordinary appearance compared to showier orchids, it is one of the most common native orchids in the eastern forest. It grows in dry to moist deciduous and mixed forests and is easily found year-round by its distinctive foliage.
Best time to see a Downy Rattlesnake Plantain
The best time to see a Downy Rattlesnake Plantain is March–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 32,057 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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