Native French Orchids
 

In May this year I went to spend some days in the French Alps. I was surprised to see so many orchids. Literally, there were thousands of plants blooming at thattime. Mainly the four species shown here, but I could identify also at least 5 other species growing and in buds (including http://www.orchidboard.com/community...calceolus.html

Orchis mascula
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/...953066d2_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/...88477a66_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/...2c99d138_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/...883284a8_z.jpg

Orchis purpurea
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/...20b53589_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/...d12c4d27_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/...98b7ef3b_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/...b3718aac_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/...4febd67d_z.jpg

Dactylorhiza fuchsii (considered as sub-species of Dactylorhiza maculata)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/...8e3ce8b5_z.jpg

Dactylorhiza sambucina (both yellow and purple forms are found within the same population all the time)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/...59d8e229_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/...d0a13d73_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/...5e63ff7c_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/...803d84f7_z.jpghttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/...cf8b4a64_z.jpg

I'm blown away and very envious. What a thing to see all these! Thanks, too, for looking at my blog.

Thanks, Ron! you should have seen the field where I found the Dactylorhiza sambucina... Thousands of them all over the place! so many, that at the beginning (seen form the car) I thought they were primulas... really impressive!!

as per your blog... reallly nice!! I am the one envious here ;)

:wow :yikes:

I saw Dactylorhiza fuchsii or a natural hybrid of it last year, but there were just the odd one scattered here and there, not masses of them like you describe.

What wonderful pics, I especially like the Orchis mascula ones, such a wonderful colour. I really like the yellow form of the Dactylorhiza sambucina as well, I've only really seen purple Dactylorhiza before so it's really interesting to see this.

Beautiful plants, and fabulous photography Ramon.

I can well see how you initially mistook the Dactylorhiza sambucina for primroses. A great example of convergent evolution.

I've got to get back there again sometime. I can still remember how blown away I was seeing the Gentiana kochiana and Rhododendron ferrugineum in the Swiss Alps.

Cheers.
Jim

They're all beautiful!

Wish they were able to be grown here in Southern California.

Native French Orchids
 

...and worthy, perhaps, of inclusion in the calendar. :bowing
Beverly A.

Wow, great shots Ramon! :bowing I like D.mascula, there are a few different color forms of it. The alba is quite pretty, there are some growing in a field next to our countryhouse.

All of the areas of the french Alps that I have hiked (mainly in Savoie and Haute Savoie) have been extremely rich in orchids. I agree, fields of D.sambucina are amazing to see! I also know of one spot were at least 200 Cyp calceolus are growing, and it's just jaw dropping to see. I believe that there are at least a hundred different species growing in that area of the Alps, so if you go out at peak orchid season you're bound to see at least a dozen species in one hike. There's a great website (in french) on all the orchids of the Hautes-Alpes department. Orchidées des Hautes-Alpes : Bienvenue sur le site des Orchidées des Hautes-Alpes

Jim- The Gentiana kochiana is quite stunning to see, and I now have some growing in my garden. Have you seen Gentiana verna? The blue of it is even more intense. It really is as blue as in the photo.

I completely agree! Your photos are always stunning! Thank you for sharing!

Wonferful, thanks for posting Ramon and Camille.

If I remember well, I think that Camille has written an interesting article on orchid Board about orchids from the Alps.
I started growing orchids in Thailand but originally I am from Haute Savoie and it seems that I've missed a lot as I was mostly trecking on the mountains in search of mushrooms... didn't look enough for those nice flowers.

Whoa! That's absolutely beautiful!

I wish I could grow Gentians here. I've tried once or twice with some seed from Thompson & Morgan. The seedlings always started out well but they always burned up in the summer.

Cheers.
Jim

Beautiful photographs Ramon ! There are still very nice populations of wild native orchids in France (especially in the south east and south west), even if a lot of them have been destroyed by intensive agriculture, forest plantation and suburban home building (between other threats...). It is an everyday fight to keep these (and many others) spectacular plants alive in their habitat.