Fifth Week of the Native Orchid Season
 

This was the week of May 5-11, 2013, a good week. The Fairy Slippers were well along, the Spotted Coralroots were at their peak as were the Striped Coralroots, and I found a few Western Coralroots at one early location. and I found a few Clustered Lady's Slippers as well. The prizes, though were a number of white Fairy Slippers and the yellow unspotted form of the Spotted Coralroot.

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Native Orchids of the Pacific Northwest and the Canadian Rockies: Fifth Week of the Native Orchid Season - Fairy Slippers, Three Coralroots and Two Rarities

They are great.

Beautiful Ron! So far the only orchids I've seen in our 5 years on the island are spotted coralroot.

Thanks, OCRC, and Vanda, you have an abundance of orchids on the Island including some real rarities. The last time I was there (and I don't get there often because of the cost of the ferries), I saw four species including one rarity, and that was late in the season when there wasn't a lot to be seen. I can tell you where to find some of them if you are interested.

Thanks Ron. Maybe it's because we mainly use trails that are public trails, though we have also been up in the mountains on some. We saw a gorgeous gentian up near a mountain lake once. What part of the island were you on when you saw the orchids?

Mostly the southwest end of the island, west of Victoria, but they can be found on a number of public trails as well, especially around Sooke Pothole Park and the Sooke River. There are so many places to look on the Island. A friend has found the rare Ozette Coralroot at Macmillan Provincial Park and the area around Nanaimo is a paradise for Piperias in late July and August.

Thanks Ron, Ill keep that in mind. Maybe I'll see some this summer. Macmillan is close to us.

Hope you find some.

Nice!

Thanks ever so much, Sonya.