Native Orchids - Canada

We have been orchid hunting in the Canadian Rockies, first in Kootenay National Park, and this was the first orchid we found there. The Mountain Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium montanum, is quite variable both in the size of the plants and of the flowers. These were 30-40 cm tall with 5-6 cm flowers.

We have been orchid hunting in the Canadian Rockies, first in Kootenay National Park, and this was the first orchid we found there. The Mountain Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium montanum, is quite variable both in the size of the plants and of the flowers. These were 30-40 cm tall with 5-6 cm flowers, and the insets show both plants and flowers.

While camped at Three Forks, Montana, we did a day trip up the Hyalite Canyon Road southeast of Bozeman. We found several different native orchids near Hyalite Reservoir including this Tall White Northern Bog Orchis, Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora.

Also known as Franklin's Lady's Slipper, this was one of the few orchids we saw in Alaska and these were well past their peak, though we found enough good flowers to photograph. This photo is my wife's taken along the Richardson Highway near Thompson Pass. The Sparrow's-egg Lady's Slipper is not found as far south as Washington but is common further north in the Canadian Rockies and in Alaska.

Also known as the Long-bracted Green Orchis, this is Coeloglossum viride var. virescens, a native orchid very rare in Washington and very common in British Columbia and Alberta. This example was photographed along the Grassi Lakes trail above Canmore, Alberta.

Another photograph of this beautiful wildflower and orchid. We saw them three or four different locations when traveling through British Columbia and Alberta last summer and this example was photographed near Edmonton.

Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens is our showiest and most beautiful orchid. It is rare in Washington but plentiful as one moves further north into British Columbia and Alberta. This one was photographed in British Columbia west of Mount Robson Provincial Park.

This is the Blunt-leafed Rein Orchis, Platanthera obtusata, photographed along the Berg Lake trail in British Columbia's Mount Robson Provincial Park. That is the only place we have seen this species which ranges east to the Great Lakes region and to Massachusetts. The plant is around a foot tall with a single leaf held near the ground and with flowers somewhat less than an inch in size. And notice the tiny little beetle on the top flower!

Photographed near Edmonton, this is the Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens. Usually these plants have only a single flower but when we were out orchid hunting in this area last summer we found a number of plants that had two flowers.