Seasonal Wild Flowers

Greater Butterfly-orchid

Platanthera chlorantha

Orchidaceae

June to July

It is found throughout the country except for parts of the

Northeast, the Midlands and East Anglia.

See the BSBI distribution map for Greater Butterfly-orchid

It grows in a variety of mainly calcareous habitats, such as,

downs, grassland, scrub, woodland, sand dunes and by

railways.

Greater Butterfly-orchid is a native, pale, vanilla-scented

herb, growing up to 60cm.

Flowers are creamy-white, tinged with green and on loose

spikes.

There is a long spur and the promenent pollen sacks are

divergent (cf parallel in Lesser butterfly-orchid).

Stem leaves are narrow and basal leaves are broad.

Greater Butterfly-orchid, Cogden, Dorset

Flowers on a loose spike

Divergent pollen sacks

Side view- spurs

Basal and stem leaves