Where and when to find orchids in Michigan

We usually start our year finding Puttyroot leaves in January at Nan Weston in western Washtenaw County.

Arethusa on the left, Grass-pink on the right. We find these at several sites, but one that is easily accessed is th Eddy Discovery Center in Western Washtenaw County, Michigan. Arethusa are most dependably in bloom in early to mid June. Grass-pink are more easy to find in bloom in July.

There are four Lady’s-slippers that can be found at th Eddy Discovery Center. Pink, are widespread in Michigan and can be found from late May until mid June. Yellow are easy to find in late May and sparsely into early June, like the pink they can be found throughout the state. White (not pictured) has a similar pattern with yellow. Showy, while found at Eddy, along with the others is the most difficult to see. They are most typical seen in blood in mid June in Chippewa County.

The three Rattlesnake-plantains can easily be differentiated by the patterns on their leaves which can be easily seen from mid May throughout the summer.

Hooker’s Orchid, a personal favorite is one that we see at Pictured Rocks in Alger County in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These are typically in bloom in mid June.

Three “fringed orchids.” The Purple fringed orchid blooms in CHippewa County in the U.P., from late June until early August. The Prairie white fringed orchid can be found blooming at Eddy in July. And finally, Michigan’s most spectacular orchid the Orange finged orchid blooms in late July and early August at Bishop’s Bog, south of Kalamazoo.

Now, get out this spring and summer and see some orchids.

More tomorrow…