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~ a celebration of nature

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Tag Archives: Common spotted-orchid

Orchids already?

25 Sunday May 2025

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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Tags

British orchids, Common spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, native orchids, orchids

This year seems to be flying by. I mean, how can the Common spotted-orchids be flowering already?

Maybe it’s just me, and the house move, and everything associated with that that’s made this year seem to be passing so quickly. Or maybe it’s just old age – when I was young, time often seemed to drag; now it zips by too quickly.

Anyhoo, whether or not I was ready for them, the orchids are out and looking as gorgeous as they always do. I hope you get to enjoy them too.

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Variations on a theme

30 Sunday Jun 2024

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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British orchids, British wildflowers, Common spotted-orchid, native orchids, orchids

Presumably because of our very wet Spring, the orchids are enjoying a magnificent season hereabouts, with more Bee and Pyramidal orchids than I’ve ever seen before. The beautiful blooms collaged below were all growing within a metre of each other at a local park and, in theory, they’re all Common spotted-orchids. You can see what a wide variation of hues and patterns they exhibit, though I suspect a couple of these may have a few grains of Southern marsh-orchid mixed in to their DNA. Both species grow at this park and are known, sometimes, to cross-pollinate.

240630 common spotted orchids

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Grangemoor’s orchids

02 Sunday Jun 2024

Posted by sconzani in wildflowers

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#WildflowerHour, Bee orchid, British orchids, Common spotted-orchid, Grangemoor Park, native orchids, Pyramidal orchid, Southern marsh orchid

This week’s Wildflower Hour challenge was to find orchids in flower. I love these gorgeous native plants so was very happy to include orchid spotting in a walk to Cardiff’s Grangemoor Park. And I was not disappointed, finding these four species currently in flower.

240602 southern marsh

Southern marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa)

240602 common spotted

Common spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsia)

240602 pyramidal

Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

240602 bee

Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera)

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First and second

22 Sunday May 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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Tags

British orchids, Common spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, orchids

It’s amazing what a bit of rain can do. I’ve been watching the rosettes of Common spotted-orchids in various locations over the past week or so as their leaves flesh out and their flower spikes develop but I was still surprised to see this year’s first two plants with open flowers during my morning walk.

220522 common spotted-orchid (1)

They may be common but they are truly glorious, and I can’t wait for the time when the meadows are full of their flowers.

220522 common spotted-orchid (2)

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Variation

25 Friday Jun 2021

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

British orchids, British wildflowers, Common spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsia, native orchids

I mentioned recently how I sometimes find orchids difficult to identify. These photos illustrate why. As far as I can work out, as they all had spots on their leaves, and in spite of the variation in colours and patterns, these are all Common spotted-orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsia).

210625 common spotted-orchid (1)
210625 common spotted-orchid (2)
210625 common spotted-orchid (3)
210625 common spotted-orchid (4)
210625 common spotted-orchid (5)
210625 common spotted-orchid (6)
210625 common spotted-orchid (7)
210625 common spotted-orchid (8)
210625 common spotted-orchid (9)
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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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