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Pogonia spp.
rose pogonia
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesFragrant (moderate)Container Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Pogonia spp. is a small genus of terrestrial orchids in the family Orchidaceae, found in wet, acidic ground across eastern North America and temperate eastern Asia. The most familiar species, Pogonia ophioglossoides, the rose pogonia, grows in bogs, fens, wet meadows, and seepage slopes. Plants rise from slender, spreading roots and reach 8-24 in (20-60 cm) tall, each stem carrying a single clasping leaf about midway and usually one flower at the tip. The flowers are pink, occasionally white, 2-4 cm (1-1.5 in) across, with a fringed and bearded lip marked in yellow and crimson, and they carry a sweet, raspberry-like scent. Spreading roots produce new plantlets, so colonies can form open drifts. Bloom comes in late spring and early summer and lasts a short period. Like most terrestrial orchids the genus depends on soil fungi for germination and early growth, which makes it difficult to transplant; a further limitation is its strict need for permanently moist, low-nutrient, acidic ground.
Native Range
Pogonia spp. ranges through eastern North America from Newfoundland and Ontario south to Florida and Texas, and through temperate eastern Asia including Japan, Korea, and eastern China. It grows in sphagnum bogs, wet meadows, fens, and damp pine savanna.Suggested Uses
Grown in bog gardens, the wet margins of ponds, and container bog setups alongside sundews, pitcher plants, and other acid-loving wetland species. The fragrant flowers suit naturalistic native plantings. Plants are kept mainly by specialist growers because of their exacting moisture needs.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Colors
Bloom Information
Flowering runs from late spring into early summer, around May to July depending on latitude. Each stem usually carries a single fragrant pink flower that lasts several days, with a colony blooming together over two to three weeks. Plants in cooler northern sites flower later than southern populations.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pink to white with yellow-and-crimson lipFoliage Description
blue-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-9 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Pogonia spp. grows in full sun to light shade in permanently wet, acidic, low-nutrient ground such as sphagnum peat, at a pH of about 4.0 to 6.0. The roots must stay saturated through the growing season, and rainwater rather than hard tap water keeps the medium suitably acidic and lean. Fertiliser and lime are harmful and shorten the plant life span. Germination depends on specific soil fungi, so the genus is propagated mainly by division of established colonies rather than from seed. Cool winter dormancy is needed, and the hardier forms tolerate USDA zones 3 to 8. Competition from vigorous bog plants gradually crowds it out where water levels drop.Pruning
No pruning is required. The single annual stem dies back after seeding and is cleared as it withers, and spent flower stalks can be taken off if self-seeding is not wanted. Periodic thinning of competing vegetation keeps colonies open.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
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fall
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons