Downy Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
One of three rattlesnake plantain orchids found in Minnesota, the downy rattlesnake plantain orchid is primarily found in the “big woods” or north central part of Minnesota that is known for its mesic hardwoods, with forests of sugar maple, red oak, yellow birch and basswood. Another indicator of appropriate habitat for this little orchid is the presence of glacial till soils, which are coarse to fine grained and slightly acidic.
The photo of this plant is from an Arrowhead Native Plant Explorers field trip north of Duluth, and it is also the photo that was used to make the drawing for the ANPE logo!
Perhaps the most interesting fact about this plant with its unique checker patterned, evergreen leaves is that it will only flower once in its life, around age 4 to 8. The following year after it flowers, the above ground roots (rhizomes) will create a couple vegetative offshoots before the parent plant dies. Each of these new shoots will also take 4 to 8 years and follow the same cycle. This plant also readily germinates from seed, but it grows slower and the process to get to flowering takes longer.
In Welby Smith’s book, Native Orchids of Minnesota, he cites a study that found only 7 percent of downy rattlesnake plantain orchids in colonies flower each year. But every 2 to 4 years, mass flowering events occurred where around 30 percent of a colony would flower, likely being triggered by warm, dry weather from May of the previous year (Smith, 2012).
For more information about this amazing plant, visit: Minnesota Wildflowers or check out Native Orchids of Minnesota -by Welby Smith.
Sources: Information about this plant was summarized from the resources listed above.
All photos and drawing by Kelly Beaster
Arrowhead Native Plant Explorers 