Overview

Orchis purpurea is a orchid in the genus Orchis, part of the Orchid family. Orchis purpurea grows best in partial shade, and tolerates calcareous and well-drained soils and alkaline pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. It is native to Flanders and Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

About

Orchis purpurea is a terrestrial orchid that produces a dense spike of closely packed flowers, the upper petals and sepals showing purple tones while the lip is pale and often spotted. It favours calcareous, alkaline soils in partial shade and flowers in spring. Plants form a basal rosette of fleshy leaves that surround the flowering stem. Flowering in the UK runs April to June.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Orchis purpurea

About the genus

Orchis is a genus in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), occurring mainly in Europe and Northwest Africa, and ranging as far as Tibet, Mongolia, and Xinjiang. The name is from the Ancient Greek ὄρχις, meaning "testicle", from the appearance of the paired subterranean tuberoids.

In the garden

Orchis purpurea is a spring-flowering terrestrial orchid native to parts of northwestern Europe, recorded specifically from Flanders and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In its wild habitats it favours lime-rich, sloping woodland and edge habitats where dappled light reaches the ground. In cultivation it retains the same preferences. Position the plant in partial shade on calcareous, well-drained soil that holds moisture without waterlogging; an alkaline soil is important. The species suits neutral-to-alkaline garden loams amended with some grit or horticultural limestone to improve drainage. Hardiness is H4 (average), so plants will overwinter in most UK gardens when given a sheltered, shaded spot away from strong drying winds. Use Orchis purpurea where you can provide a limey, shaded bed — a woodland edge, the back of a mixed deciduous border or a protected chalk bank are all suitable sites. Keep the soil consistently moist through spring and early summer while the rosette and flowering spike develop, then allow the surface to dry slightly after flowering as the plant enters dormancy. The April–June flower spike, with its pale, spotted lip set against purple outer petals, is the season’s most diagnostic feature and rewards siting where it can be seen at close range.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Orchis

Sunlight

partial shade

Soil type

calcareous, well-drained

Soil pH

alkaline

Soil moisture

moist but well-drained

UK hardiness

H4

Plant details

Orchis purpurea size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Orchid

Native to

Flanders, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Orchis purpurea

Cultivation

Prefers calcareous soils in partial shade; avoid waterlogging.

Propagation

By seed or division of tubers

Frequently asked questions