Platanthera lacera

Common Names

Green Fringed Orchid, Ragged Fringed Orchid, Ragged Orchis

Summary

Platanthera lacera, the Ragged Fringed Orchid, is a North American orchid native to eastern and central Canada and the United States, it grows as a herbaceous perennial 14–80 cm tall with 1–5 alternate leaves and a terminal raceme of 10–60 flowers, which are whitish to yellowish‑green, with a deeply fringed lower lip and a slender green nectar spur 11–23 mm long, blossoms are fragrant at night and pollinated by moths, occurring in moist habitats such as bogs, swamps, wet meadows, stream banks, and damp roadsides across a broad range, in cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, acidic soils ranging from sandy to silt‑loam, often with standing water, propagation is by division (best in early spring or late fall) or by seed, with a fleshy, fibrous root system and potential vegetative offsets, it is used ornamentally in gardens and as a cut flower and is suitable for landscapes such as coastal, riparian, pond, and woodland settings, including rain gardens

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

1-2 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4a-9b

Sunlight Requirements

Platanthera lacera: ideally full Sun, also suitable in Partial Sun or Partial Shade

Soil Type

Acidic, moist to wet soil typical of wetlands (e.g., bogs, swamps, or wet meadows)

Soil Drainage

Wet, poorly drained soils

Soil pH

pH below 6.0

Bloom Color

Green, White, Cream

Bloom Time

Summer (June–September)

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Other

Seasons of Interest

Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts moths