Anacamptis morio
green-winged orchid
Overview
Anacamptis morio is a tuberous terrestrial orchid reaching 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) tall, growing from a pair of underground tubers. A basal rosette of 4-8 lanceolate, grey-green leaves forms in autumn and persists through winter, with smaller leaves sheathing the flowering stem. Each stem carries a loose spike of 5-25 flowers in shades of purple-violet to pink, occasionally white. The lateral sepals form a hood marked with green parallel veins, the feature that gives the plant its common name. Individual flowers measure about 0.6-0.8 inch (15-20 mm) across and produce no nectar; they rely on deceived bumblebee queens for pollination, so seed set is often low. The plant is summer-dormant, dying back to its tubers after seed dispersal. It depends on a mycorrhizal fungal association for germination and establishment, which makes transplanting and cultivation slow and frequently unsuccessful. Populations occur in unimproved meadows and grasslands on neutral to calcareous soils, where they have declined across much of their range following agricultural intensification and the loss of traditional hay meadows. Plants take 4-7 years from seed to first flowering and respond poorly to disturbance once established.
Native Range
Native to Europe, extending into North Africa and western Asia. The range runs from Ireland and southern Scandinavia south to the Mediterranean Basin and east to Iran.Suggested Uses
Grown in species-rich meadows, conservation grasslands, and naturalistic low-fertility lawns. It features in grassland restoration on neutral to chalky soils. It is not suited to conventional borders or containers.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread4" - 6"
Bloom Information
Flowers open from April to June, earlier in the south of the range and later at higher latitudes and elevations. The display on a single plant lasts about 3-5 weeks. Each spike opens from the base upward.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
purple-violet to pink, occasionally white, with green-veined sepalsFoliage Description
grey-green, unspottedGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight