2015 UK Orchids (1 Viewer)

[ladybee]

Green Winged orchid

Green Winged in full flower at North Notts today - mostly dark purple with the odd white - along with hundreds of cowslips.

 

[JCL]

Early Purples in peak condition at Foxley Wood, Norfolk, today.

 

[MarkHows]

On route home from the Hudwit we popped into the Bee x Fly site

A few plants look about 10 - 15 days away from looking decent but one plant already had 2 flowers open - superb for the end of April!

Regards

James

A photo of said plant I took with James yesterday

Mark

 

[Allewes]

There seems to be mixed messages about whether orchids are a bit later this year or earlier. This seems early to me, so are they catching up on lost time now?

Interesting isn't it? East Sussex certainly still very slow. Early purples out in full flow at Castle Hill NNR by now, but not a sign of Early Spiders yet. Even though they are very diminutive and seem to appear very suddenly as a result, I'd guess they will be two weeks late on last year. But reports from Kent of various orchids and of green winged in various places and fly x bee seem are certainly more advanced. Maybe I should travel further!

 

[JCL]

A photo of said plant I took with James yesterday

Mark

That's a cracker!

 

[ladybee]

That's a cracker!

Wow, that's one I'd love to see one day.

 

[rmielcarek]

Dorset mutant

Saw this oddity courtesy of heakl while down on the coast; the lowest flower was going over but looked pretty normal, with 6 perianth segments, but a bit of a misshapen/mispatterned lip.

As you can see the second 'flower' consists of only four perianth segments instead of the normal 6, and the top flower has merely 2! However both have a column of sorts, although that on the top 'flower' seems to contain 3 pollinia.

What a mixed up boy!

There was another plant close by where both flowers had misshapen and mispatterned lips.

Rich M

 

[Benjamin Ofield]

On route home from the Hudwit we popped into the Bee x Fly site

A few plants look about 10 - 15 days away from looking decent but one plant already had 2 flowers open - superb for the end of April!

Regards

James

I had a quick look this Morning, amazing to see they are starting to flower already! There was one more plant about to open another flower in the next couple of days as well.

 

[leptochila]

Saw this oddity courtesy of heakl while down on the coast; the lowest flower was going over but looked pretty normal, with 6 perianth segments, but a bit of a misshapen/mispatterned lip.

As you can see the second 'flower' consists of only four perianth segments instead of the normal 6, and the top flower has merely 2! However both have a column of sorts, although that on the top 'flower' seems to contain 3 pollinia.

What a mixed up boy!

There was another plant close by where both flowers had misshapen and mispatterned lips.

Rich M

Hi Rich

Clocked this plant last weekend at Dancing Ledge - was it in a separate field with a wall at the bottom?

Very weird!

Mike

 

[rmielcarek]

Hi Rich

Clocked this plant last weekend at Dancing Ledge - was it in a separate field with a wall at the bottom?

Very weird!

Mike

That sounds like the one, a steep field at that, I know cause I fell down a big chunk of it!

Rich

 

[Rafeabrook]

Any news on Lady Orchids yet, and if possible - any tips on good locations (close to Herts if any exist) ???

Thanks all

R

 

[Allewes]

Green winged out in peak condition in a churchyard in mid Sussex this morning

 

[leptochila]

Any news on Lady Orchids yet, and if possible - any tips on good locations (close to Herts if any exist) ???

Thanks all

R

Hi Rafe

Your closest would be the couple of plants at Hartslock which are out now alongside the hybrids which are coming out though not at their peak. Otherwise you'll need to go to Kent and I've seen only one photograph of Lady orchids in flower there so far so I suspect it'll be at least a week before trying. If you do, Yocklett's Bank and Bonsai Bank are very good bets.

Mike

 

[leptochila]

Green-winged orchid meadows peaking on Stonebarrow Hill just outside Charmouth in Dorset on Friday. First time I've come across a white flowered plant with lilac labellum spots only. Very nice indeed!

Mike

 

[phm33]

Any news on Lady Orchids yet, and if possible - any tips on good locations (close to Herts if any exist) ???

Thanks all

R

I don't know about Herts, but some of the Lady Orchids were already in flower at Yockletts Banks in Kent yesterday.

 

[ionh]

Hartslock

Lady & Monkey at Hartslock still a week or two to go according to the Hartslock blog http://hartslock.org.uk/blog/.
Early purple out in force at Aston Rowant today, as were green-winged at Bernwood Meadows.

 

[rmielcarek]

On route home from the Hudwit we popped into the Bee x Fly site

A few plants look about 10 - 15 days away from looking decent but one plant already had 2 flowers open - superb for the end of April!

Regards

James

It would appear that this plant has already been trashed;

https://twitter.com/zoylandbirder/status/594739949968195584

Rich M

 

[Benjamin Ofield]

It would appear that this plant has already been trashed;

https://twitter.com/zoylandbirder/status/594739949968195584

Rich M

I saw this plant at about 8am on Saturday morning the same day as this tweet. It was in fine condition then as were the other spikes on site. There did seem to be quite a few plants so hopefully not to much damage done.

Ben

 

[rmielcarek]

I saw this plant at about 8am on Saturday morning the same day as this tweet. It was in fine condition then as were the other spikes on site. There did seem to be quite a few plants so hopefully not to much damage done.

Ben

This site unfortunately has a long tradition of trampling, so be careful where you put your feet and bags, they can be surprisingly hard to see.

Rich M

 

[IJS]

Twayblades now in flower in Norfolk. Found one of the three leaved variety trifoliata too. Sadly the flower spike had been broken off and had gone possibly eaten? Also found a bee orchid rosette growing strongly. This one was nicely protected in a wire cage!