Fall Orchids

One of my late September rituals is to make the rounds to admire the final orchids of the year.  Spiranathes ovalis is a late season orchid that is uncommon in Ohio, but which has been steadily increasing its numbers at Blue Jay Barrens.

I find Spiranthes ovalis typically growing at the base of steep wooded hillsides and the adjacent gently sloped area between the hill and the creek. 

The demure plants are difficult to find among the fallen leaves and competing vegetation in the shadows of the trees.  My initial discoveries are always made on the walking trails.  The trails typically get mowed twice each summer.  The second mowing is done in late August, prior to the elongation of the orchid flower stalk, so I don’t accidently decapitate one of these lovely flowers.  The orchid in the above photo is located in the lower right hand quadrant.

Blooms are withering on plants that opened their flowers early in September.  Many of the plants only produce a few flowers.

Others produce long spikes.  I’ve tracked many Spiranthes ovalis plants through the years and have found that they usually persist for four or five years before disappearing.  Even if a plant doesn’t flower in a given year, it will produce a cluster of basal leaves.  If a few years pass without leaves appearing, I assume the plant is dead.  Fortunately, new plants always seem to be emerging to take the place of those lost.

The second late season orchid, and my personal favorite, is Spiranthes magnicamporum.

This species is capable of producing some very robust flower spikes.  The flowers are not only large and attractive, they produce a strong scent.

There are a few individual Spiranthes magnicamporum plants scattered around Blue Jay Barrens, but only two areas where you can find a concentration of plants.  This past Sunday, I found a dozen plants blooming here.  Shallow, rocky soil with patchy vegetation typifies the conditions in which I am likely to find these plants.

The second site of Spiranthes magnicamporum plants is slightly steeper than the former, but no less barren.  This site had a large number of blooming plants last year.  I counted only seven this year.  It’s rather hard to predict just how well the orchids are going to do in any given year.

Not only were there fewer plants this year, those plants present developed flowers spikes much shorter than normal.  This species is also increasing in number.  That means it is more likely that I’ll find a few large, impressive plants each year.

Orchids Eaten

I was sorely disappointed when I went back to check on the group of Spiranthes magnicamporum orchids that I found a couple of weeks ago.  A short stalk was all that was left of the largest of the flowering plants.

Evidence of browsing Whitetail Deer.  Six of the 14 blooming plants suffered this fate.  All were within a few feet of the trail that is used by me and the deer.

Other plants that were farther from the trail were left alone.

This shot was taken from the trail.  The stalk of the eaten plant is in the center foreground.  The flower spike from another plant can be seen emerging from the clump of brown grass in the upper right.  Distance between plants is about four feet.

Each of the eaten plants had a set of arrow shaped hoof prints pointed to what was left of the flower stalk.  Deer have a taste for orchids and many orchid species that were once common here, such as the Showy Orchis, have not been seen for many years.

Loss of a few flower spikes was just the first disappointment.  I had come out in hopes of witnessing insects pollinating the orchids.  In two hours of watching I didn’t see anything come near those flowers.  Before leaving the site, I fashioned a pollinating tool out of a dried grass stem to mimic what happens when a nectar seeking insect inserts its head into one of these tiny flowers.

Instead of being released as loose grains, orchid pollen is contained in a sticky mass called a pollinium that attaches itself to a nectaring insect.  If this grass stem had been the head of a bee, the pollen mass would have attached to the bee’s head.  The pollen would then be in position to pollinate future flowers visited by the bee.  I have yet to see this activity performed by a live insect.  I may just have to pack up and live with the orchids some summer.

New Location for a Favorite Rare Plant

It is always exciting to discover a new location for a rare plant already known to be growing at Blue Jay Barrens.  Sometimes it’s more exciting than adding a new species to the property list.  Yesterday I discovered a new population of Spiranthes magnicamporum, Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses, an orchid species that is listed as Potentially Threatened in Ohio.

It was cloudy with a light drizzle of rain when I noticed a white beacon before me.  White flowers that are often lost in the brilliance of sunlight, can sometimes glow brightly in dim conditions.  This bloom was impossible to overlook.

It’s no wonder the plant caught my attention.  With a total height of 16 inches, five inches of that being the flower spike, it clearly stood out from the surrounding vegetation.  When I crouched down to get a photo, the fragrance was almost overwhelming.

I found 14 flowering plants all growing in this strange eroded area near the toe of a steep slope.  Fourteen years ago I found a single Spiranthes magnicamporum growing in a tiny opening that is located about 30 yards into the cedars in the direction of the orange leaved trees showing in the upper right portion of the photo.  That plant has not been seen to bloom since.  There is a walking trail that passes horizontally through the photo about a third of the way up the frame.  I walk this trail frequently and am sure I would have noticed blooming orchids before, had they been here.  I’m wondering if these plants might have come from seed released by that lone plant I saw earlier.

Some of the plants were growing from clumps of grasses, primarily Little Bluestem, that had become established in the eroded soil.

Others just sprang from almost bare ground.

Those growing in bare soil were much easier to find than those hidden in the grasses.  The plant in the upper left of this photo is the one that first attracted my attention.  While I was examining that plant, I completely failed to notice the slightly smaller version just a few feet away and visible in the lower right corner of the photo.  I didn’t find the second plant until much later while doing a careful search of the whole area.

At just over three inches, this is a typical sized flower spike.  Even small plants produce an abundance of scent, making them easy for pollinators to find.  Despite the fragrance, I’ve never seen any insects on these plants.  It’s clear that pollination is occurring since most plants develop seeds.  Since the flowers release their pollen only to nectaring insects, there must be insect visitors.  If we have another warm afternoon, I may just hang out with these flowers for a few hours to see what comes by.

Great Plains Ladies' Tresses Disappearing

I went out yesterday evening and checked on the progress of the Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses. I hadn’t been back there for two weeks and I was hoping to find a few plants that were showing signs of producing seeds. I got part of my wish, because I only found a few plants. I could only see about a third the number of flower stalks that I saw two weeks ago.

All were showing some signs of wear. This flower stalk had just begun to bloom last time I was out. The blooming has progressed, but something has been doing some serious feeding on the flowers.

Something seems to have worked its way in and consumed all of the reproductive parts of the flower.

On other plants, the flowers seem to be fading in a manner consistent with the flower having been properly fertilized. All of the plants show signs of feeding damage. I looked things over closely, but couldn’t find any clues to what had done the feeding.

The biggest mystery was the complete disappearance of plants that I know were here on my last visit. I remember sitting down beside this spot and changing my camera batteries. When the camera was reset, I took a shot of an orchid growing right here.

I didn’t remember exactly where the plant was growing, so I dug out the shot I took two weeks ago to verify that I was looking at the right spot. No doubt about the spot and that’s definitely a Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses growing there.

I went back to the shot I took last night and zoomed in on the location of the orchid. All that’s left is a stump cut off at near ground level. I’m guessing this to be the work of a rabbit. I didn’t see any deer tracks in the area and a deer would have disturbed the surrounding plant residue in order to cut the plant off this close to the ground, so I don’t think they’re to blame this time. I’ve also seen rabbits do this same thing to too many bedding plants to think this isn’t some of their handiwork. There’s still a ways to go before any of the plants produce seed and I’m beginning to wonder if any will survive that long.

Great Plains Ladies' Tresses Still Blooming

I’ve been able to make several visits to the Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses since I found the first blooming plants two weeks ago. In that period, this plant with the twisted flower stalk has gone from just a couple of open blooms at the lower end of the spiral, to an almost full spike. I’m sure this plant can keep up the display for another couple of weeks.

The double plant is also showing its ability to produce a prolonged floral display. I’ve never before measured the longevity of the blooms. The older flowers look just as fresh today as they did two weeks ago. I wonder if that is any indicator of the flower’s status in terms of pollination. Has it been pollinated or not? Many blooms begin to decline after pollination, since there is no longer a need to attract pollinators. I guess I’ll have a chance to witness the aging of these flowers over the coming weeks, so I’ll just have to see what develops.

There are still many new flower stalks showing themselves on the hillside. It’ll probably be November before the tip of this spike begins to bloom.

The scattered orchid flowers are still hard to see, even when fully blooming. I made a rough count of 29 blooming plants and there are still several that are just sending up a flower spike. The flowers may be hard to see, but the fragrance cannot be overlooked. The day I took these shots I could smell the flowers from one hundred yards away. I was so far from this spot that I thought I had found another population, but when I followed the scent I ended up here.

The majority of plants are on the upper slopes of the hill. I was pleased to find seven blooming plants on these lower slopes. Up until now, my record for lower slope blooms was two plants. I hope this means that seed is being produced and new plants are developing on the site. It would probably be hard to determine whether these were new plants or just old plants responding to ideal growing conditions. Whichever the case, I’ll just continue to enjoy these plants for the next few weeks.

The First of the Last Spiranthes Orchids

Conditions must have been just perfect for Spiranthes orchids this year at Blue Jay Barrens. They’ve been noticeable all summer. Now we’re moving into fall and the latest blooming species has begun to open its flowers. Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses, Spiranthes magnicamporum, may be the last of the Spiranthes to perform, but its display has got to be the grandest of them all.

The flowers look like the creation of a confectionary artist. The petals appear to be so fragile that a light touch might leave them bruised and mangled.

Actually, they are tough little flowers that withstand wind, storms, heat or cold without showing any wear. I’ve watched them come unscathed through some violent weather extremes. Autumn is their time and they are adapted to handle anything a Southern Ohio autumn can deliver.

This will be an impressive flower spike if it manages to straighten up. I think the question mark shape is an intentional taught aimed at the difficulties I sometimes have identifying the Spiranthes plants that I encounter. Several of the Spiranthes species are quite variable in their physical characteristics and can be difficult to properly identify. Spiranthes magnicamporum is one that I’ve never had a problem with. I guess I’ve spent enough time looking at it that I’ve come to know its appearance as one of an old friend. There’s also the fact that this species produces a powerful fragrance that can’t be missed.

Spiranthes magnicamporum thrives in some pretty inhospitable soils. Thin, rocky soil over limestone bedrock seems to suit it best.

The name may be Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses, but the area in which they grow doesn’t resemble the Great Plains. This area had a pretty heavy cedar cover until it was cleared in 2004. It was the following year that I found the Spiranthes magnicamporum. I know the orchids were here prior to the clearing, but the shady conditions may have kept them from flowering freely. If weather conditions are suitable, I’ll clear some more cedars from the remainder of this opening during the winter. Maybe I’ll be seeing twice as many flowering plants next season.

Great Plains Ladies' Tresses

I think the Disney animators have been sneaking around my prairies because I’m seeing animal characteristics in all the flowers. Here’s a flower saying “I’m an orchid called the Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses, Spiranthes magnicamporum. Steve thinks I’m the champion Ladies’ Tresses at Blue Jay Barrens.” Looks like a happy little flower.

This is the showiest of the Ladies’ Tresses at Blue Jay Barrens and as an added bonus it produces a very powerful fragrance to let you know it’s around. I originally found this patch of flowers by following the odor trail. I was about 100 yards downhill from the flowers when I walked into an overpowering almond scent that I just had to investigate.

This is a late bloomer. I usually cruise through the area in early September to determine how many flowers I might expect. By the time the plant is ready to flower, the leaves have all withered away. It’s almost impossible to see this plant until the flowers begin to show a little bit of white.

The plants are easy to find when they are in full bloom. The number of blooming plants varies considerably each year and this has been a moderate year for the Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses. There are about a dozen blooming plants at this site now. The best year had about 30 blooming plants and the poorest year had three.

These plants grow in areas of shallow limestone bedrock. This area was cleared of cedars in the winter of 2004. The foreground area was cleared of all cedars while the area farther back received a 50 percent thinning. I first found the Great Plains Ladies’ Tresses in this area the autumn following clearing. I now find about five blooming plants in the cleared area for every one found in the thinned area.