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Yellow Fringed Orchid

Platanthera ciliaris

UncommonPlant
Illustration of Yellow Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

The Yellow Fringed Orchid produces spectacular spikes of brilliant orange-yellow flowers with deeply fringed petals in mid-summer, one of the most dazzling orchids in eastern North America. It grows in moist to dry woods, meadows, and bogs. Sphinx moths and swallowtail butterflies are its primary pollinators, guided by the flower's long nectar spur.

Habitat
Moist to dry woods, meadows, and acidic bogs in eastern North America
Diet
Nectar consumed by sphinx moths and swallowtail butterflies
How common
Uncommon

Best time to see a Yellow Fringed Orchid

The best time to see a Yellow Fringed Orchid is July–August, when about 91% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 3,883 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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