Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Orchidaceae

Genus:

Spiranthes

Species:

Spiranthes cernua

USDA Symbol:

SPCE

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Epiphyte

Height:

45 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct,nov

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, bumblebees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Often found in fire-maintained wet prairies and meadows; tolerates periodic burning which reduces competition.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, rich, organic loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found in wet meadows and marshes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Notes:

Orchid seeds require mycorrhizal fungi for germination; rarely successful without laboratory conditions or symbiotic fungi present.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI