Platanthera cristata

Common Names

Crested Fringed Orchid, Crested Orange Bog Orchid, Crested Yellow Orchid

Summary

Platanthera cristata, commonly known as Crested Fringed Orchid, is a North American perennial orchid native to moist meadows, marshes, prairies, pine savannas, wet wooded flats, seeping slopes, and sphagnum bogs. It has erect stems with two to four lanceolate leaves and a dense spike of showy orange flowers; the flowers are resupinate with a fringed labellum and a spur at the back, the dorsal sepal cups over the column, and the petals are obovate to oblong-elliptic. Bees are thought to be the primary pollinators, and it hybridizes with related fringed species, producing natural hybrids such as P. ×canbyi and P. ×channellii when co-occurring with P. blephariglottis, P. ciliaris, or P. chapmanii. Flowering typically occurs June to August, sometimes September, and the plant is native across the eastern and southern United States with regional designations ranging from endangered to threatened; globally it is considered secure (G5). It grows from a tuberous root in moist habitats described as mesic-hydric to hydric, including moist sandy and peaty meadows, marshes, prairies, pine savannas, wet wooded flats, seeping slopes, and sphagnum bogs. Hybrids occur naturally with related fringed orchids, and pollination is associated with Bombus pensylvanicus; the species contributes to wetland plant communities and pollinator habitats.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

1-1.5 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones unknown

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, boggy, acidic, peaty soils in wetlands

Soil Drainage

Moist to wet soils

Soil pH

Acidic soil

Bloom Color

Orange

Bloom Time

Summer (June–September)

Foliage Color

Glaucous to glossy-green foliage

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

approximately zero growth

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and flies