The Broad Helleborine

The broad helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) is a species of wild orchid family (Orchidaceae). The root source often multiple stems with a final height of about 60 cm. This Helleborine grows particularly in forests, dunes and scrub on sandy soils. At the beginning of the flowering season, the flower stalk at the top reversed.

The flower is varied. Some are entirely green, while others have a main color red, white or yellow or have a complicated blended color with red, lilac, white, brown and green. The flower is odorless and has a lip in two parts, a cup-shaped hypochile and cleft epichile. A track is missing.

Flowers form a loose ear or a bunch to one side with hanging flowers. This is in the summer months from June to August flowering. The ear is sometimes affected by aphids. There are countless ants to this treffen.De entire plant can often spontaneously appear in gardens and after a few years by the extensive root system (root) the number of orchids grow properly. Condition remains untreated and unfertilised (certainly no fertilizer) soil.

The flower of the broad helleborine dependent on pollination, as the name suggests, wasps. In the Netherlands the species common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and German wasp (Vespula germanica). The fact that this wasp species have a great fondness for ivy pollen, implies that the helleborine once present themselves often know more lavish spread in little park where the ivy ground cover is used.

The leaves are wide (hence the name Dutch) egg-shaped and disseminated. The middle leaves are the longest. The stem often shines down a red-purple glow.



Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brede_wespenorchis


See also: International Flower Delivery, Florist