M
Mark
Guest
I realize this isn't the right section of the forum for this post, but it didn't seem to fit too well anywhere else.
When I see others post their images of wild orchids here I get pretty excited about going out and finding some myself. This last week I had the rare opportunity to take some vacation time so we went camping in the Nicolet National Forest. Given some time (and ability) constraints we stuck to the campgrounds and designated trails, but I specifically chose the latter based on whether they included bogs and wetlands. I figured that would give me my best chance of seeing orchids. Except for a few very obvious genera whose leaves I know I'd recognize (Cypripedium parviflorum, Aplectrum, Goodyera) I was pretty much relying on something being in bloom for me to know what it was.
As it turned out the bog very close to one of our campsites may have orchids in it. I first got all excited about the profusion of pitcher plants in bloom (images later) and then I started noticing leaves in the sphagnum that just looked "orchidy" to me.
Returning the next day alone (my consort gets a little bored with my botanizing so went kayaking instead) I decided to sacrifice a pair of shoes and went off on one of the deer trails following the firmer mat between the shore and the eye. Soon I was finding larger versions of those "orchidy" leaves. Then I was finding ones that had bloomed with the flower stem remaining with a bract (?) at the tip. Finally I came across this plant with a nice fat capsule.
To me it looks like a Cypripedium. I compared the leaves to the drawings of all the other orchid genera found in Wisconsin in my wildflower field guide and didn't think they looked like any of the others. And, given that it's got a single pair of leaves maybe it could be C. acaule. Now that I know where they are, I could probably time a trip up there when they're supposed to be blooming but I can't take any vacation time between March and July.
Now for my questions. How do you who go out and seemingly find wild orchids left and right do it? Do you go to known spots? With knowledgeable guides? Do you research ahead of time? Do you just happen on them? Are you just out so much that it's inevitable? My time outdoors is so limited I'd like to maximize it and would love any tips or advice you'd care to share.
Thanks!
Mark
When I see others post their images of wild orchids here I get pretty excited about going out and finding some myself. This last week I had the rare opportunity to take some vacation time so we went camping in the Nicolet National Forest. Given some time (and ability) constraints we stuck to the campgrounds and designated trails, but I specifically chose the latter based on whether they included bogs and wetlands. I figured that would give me my best chance of seeing orchids. Except for a few very obvious genera whose leaves I know I'd recognize (Cypripedium parviflorum, Aplectrum, Goodyera) I was pretty much relying on something being in bloom for me to know what it was.
As it turned out the bog very close to one of our campsites may have orchids in it. I first got all excited about the profusion of pitcher plants in bloom (images later) and then I started noticing leaves in the sphagnum that just looked "orchidy" to me.

Returning the next day alone (my consort gets a little bored with my botanizing so went kayaking instead) I decided to sacrifice a pair of shoes and went off on one of the deer trails following the firmer mat between the shore and the eye. Soon I was finding larger versions of those "orchidy" leaves. Then I was finding ones that had bloomed with the flower stem remaining with a bract (?) at the tip. Finally I came across this plant with a nice fat capsule.


To me it looks like a Cypripedium. I compared the leaves to the drawings of all the other orchid genera found in Wisconsin in my wildflower field guide and didn't think they looked like any of the others. And, given that it's got a single pair of leaves maybe it could be C. acaule. Now that I know where they are, I could probably time a trip up there when they're supposed to be blooming but I can't take any vacation time between March and July.
Now for my questions. How do you who go out and seemingly find wild orchids left and right do it? Do you go to known spots? With knowledgeable guides? Do you research ahead of time? Do you just happen on them? Are you just out so much that it's inevitable? My time outdoors is so limited I'd like to maximize it and would love any tips or advice you'd care to share.
Thanks!
Mark