Epipactis helleborine
In the Rock Garden behind the Bird Garden, you’ll see some orchids called broadleaf helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) in flower. This attractive orchid has spikes of 50 green or pink nodding flowers on stems that grow up to 1 m/3 ft. Its green leaves are broad and prominently veined. A few months after blooming, the foliage fades - then completely disappears before winter.
Ten of these orchids in bed 85A made it into the Plant Collection Record in the year 2000. According to Sam, our Plant Documentation Technician, nobody knows where they came from. And there is no record of purchasing or planting them. Yet this native of Eurasia has been busy expanding and is popping up everywhere. The very tiny ones are easy to miss but the big ones are too. They hide out in deep shade. It’s not surprising that they are flourishing. Broadleaf helleborine has already made it out of Eurasia and established itself in eastern North America. Now it is settling down in western North America too.
Some call broadleaf helleborine a weed. But this handsome orchid is not deterred by words. It knows inside its plant cells the gifts it has - the ability to move into new territory and not only survive but increase. Broadleaf helleborine grows in places where other orchids can’t while taking advantage of a variety of pollinators. A single plant can produce thousands of seeds with high growth rates. Before you know it, broadleaf helleborine has taken over the area it occupies.
Text and photos by Hughie Jones