Spiranthes species

On the last day of our photography field trip in the Green Swamp (Brunswick County, North Carolina), we went to Rice Creek. This location is always reliable for a robust orchid species which has a wonderful, sweet-earthy scent. I could even smell these from five feet away... This year, they were beautiful -- large flowers in perfect bloom. Even though I have dozens (maybe hundreds) of images of this species, I never tire of seeing and photographing them every autumn...

Skip helped shade this one from harsh sunlight by straddling a log and standing with one foot in the water. He is a good friend to do that for me... ;-) On the last day of our photography field trip in the Green Swamp (Brunswick County, North Carolina), we went to Rice Creek. This location is always reliable for a robust orchid species which has a wonderful, sweet-earthy scent. I could even smell these from five feet away... This year, they were beautiful -- large flowers in perfect bloom. Even though I have dozens (maybe hundreds) of images of this species, I never tire of seeing and photographing them every autumn...

This closeup shows the pubescent (hairy/fuzzy) flowers. The lip sports a thickened, creamy yellow central section. On the last day of our photography field trip in the Green Swamp (Brunswick County, North Carolina), we went to Rice Creek. This location is always reliable for a robust orchid species which has a wonderful, sweet-earthy scent. I could even smell these from five feet away... This year, they were beautiful -- large flowers in perfect bloom. Even though I have dozens (maybe hundreds) of images of this species, I never tire of seeing and photographing them every autumn...

On the last day of our photography field trip in the Green Swamp (Brunswick County, North Carolina), we went to Rice Creek. This location is always reliable for a robust orchid species which has a wonderful, sweet-earthy scent. I could even smell these from five feet away... This year, they were beautiful -- large flowers in perfect bloom. Even though I have dozens (maybe hundreds) of images of this species, I never tire of seeing and photographing them every autumn...

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, I met my photography buddy Kelvin Taylor in the Green Swamp, Brunswick County, North Carolina for a day trip to photograph orchids and whatever else we could find that was interesting. The previous week, we had heard from a mutual friend, Neil Jacobs, that he had rediscovered Spiranthes eatonii (Eaton's Ladies'-tresses orchid) in the Green Swamp Preserve. This was good news since it had not been reliably recorded from the area in more than 50 years. I think that the consecutive anual prescribed burns of the savannah has had a lot to do with it being found. After photographing the Ladies'-tresses orchids, Kelvin and I explored more of the grassy savannah. Soon, we found many Calopogn pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchids) in an amazing range of colors. Before leaving the area and heading home, we drove to Myrtle Head Savannah, to check out the recent (early May) prescribed burn. I've never seen so many Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchid) in one place. We even found the rare, pure white form. Removing the dense grass with a prescribed burn works wonders with wildflowers and orchids. Finishing up, we drove over to a roadside site along Hwy. 130, east of Shallotte, North Carolina. Here we saw many color forms of Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass-pink orchid) and one of the largest Venus' Fly-traps I've ever seen. Fortunately, it was also in flower... To read more about this field trip and to see additional images, go to Jim's Blog .

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, I met my photography buddy Kelvin Taylor in the Green Swamp, Brunswick County, North Carolina for a day trip to photograph orchids and whatever else we could find that was interesting. The previous week, we had heard from a mutual friend, Neil Jacobs, that he had rediscovered Spiranthes eatonii (Eaton's Ladies'-tresses orchid) in the Green Swamp Preserve. This was good news since it had not been reliably recorded from the area in more than 50 years. I think that the consecutive anual prescribed burns of the savannah has had a lot to do with it being found. After photographing the Ladies'-tresses orchids, Kelvin and I explored more of the grassy savannah. Soon, we found many Calopogn pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchids) in an amazing range of colors. Before leaving the area and heading home, we drove to Myrtle Head Savannah, to check out the recent (early May) prescribed burn. I've never seen so many Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchid) in one place. We even found the rare, pure white form. Removing the dense grass with a prescribed burn works wonders with wildflowers and orchids. Finishing up, we drove over to a roadside site along Hwy. 130, east of Shallotte, North Carolina. Here we saw many color forms of Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass-pink orchid) and one of the largest Venus' Fly-traps I've ever seen. Fortunately, it was also in flower... To read more about this field trip and to see additional images, go to Jim's Blog .

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, I met my photography buddy Kelvin Taylor in the Green Swamp, Brunswick County, North Carolina for a day trip to photograph orchids and whatever else we could find that was interesting. The previous week, we had heard from a mutual friend, Neil Jacobs, that he had rediscovered Spiranthes eatonii (Eaton's Ladies'-tresses orchid) in the Green Swamp Preserve. This was good news since it had not been reliably recorded from the area in more than 50 years. I think that the consecutive anual prescribed burns of the savannah has had a lot to do with it being found. After photographing the Ladies'-tresses orchids, Kelvin and I explored more of the grassy savannah. Soon, we found many Calopogn pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchids) in an amazing range of colors. Before leaving the area and heading home, we drove to Myrtle Head Savannah, to check out the recent (early May) prescribed burn. I've never seen so many Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchid) in one place. We even found the rare, pure white form. Removing the dense grass with a prescribed burn works wonders with wildflowers and orchids. Finishing up, we drove over to a roadside site along Hwy. 130, east of Shallotte, North Carolina. Here we saw many color forms of Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass-pink orchid) and one of the largest Venus' Fly-traps I've ever seen. Fortunately, it was also in flower... To read more about this field trip and to see additional images, go to Jim's Blog .

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, I met my photography buddy Kelvin Taylor in the Green Swamp, Brunswick County, North Carolina for a day trip to photograph orchids and whatever else we could find that was interesting. The previous week, we had heard from a mutual friend, Neil Jacobs, that he had rediscovered Spiranthes eatonii (Eaton's Ladies'-tresses orchid) in the Green Swamp Preserve. This was good news since it had not been reliably recorded from the area in more than 50 years. I think that the consecutive anual prescribed burns of the savannah has had a lot to do with it being found. After photographing the Ladies'-tresses orchids, Kelvin and I explored more of the grassy savannah. Soon, we found many Calopogn pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchids) in an amazing range of colors. Before leaving the area and heading home, we drove to Myrtle Head Savannah, to check out the recent (early May) prescribed burn. I've never seen so many Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchid) in one place. We even found the rare, pure white form. Removing the dense grass with a prescribed burn works wonders with wildflowers and orchids. Finishing up, we drove over to a roadside site along Hwy. 130, east of Shallotte, North Carolina. Here we saw many color forms of Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass-pink orchid) and one of the largest Venus' Fly-traps I've ever seen. Fortunately, it was also in flower... To read more about this field trip and to see additional images, go to Jim's Blog .

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, I met my photography buddy Kelvin Taylor in the Green Swamp, Brunswick County, North Carolina for a day trip to photograph orchids and whatever else we could find that was interesting. The previous week, we had heard from a mutual friend, Neil Jacobs, that he had rediscovered Spiranthes eatonii (Eaton's Ladies'-tresses orchid) in the Green Swamp Preserve. This was good news since it had not been reliably recorded from the area in more than 50 years. I think that the consecutive anual prescribed burns of the savannah has had a lot to do with it being found. After photographing the Ladies'-tresses orchids, Kelvin and I explored more of the grassy savannah. Soon, we found many Calopogn pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchids) in an amazing range of colors. Before leaving the area and heading home, we drove to Myrtle Head Savannah, to check out the recent (early May) prescribed burn. I've never seen so many Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchid) in one place. We even found the rare, pure white form. Removing the dense grass with a prescribed burn works wonders with wildflowers and orchids. Finishing up, we drove over to a roadside site along Hwy. 130, east of Shallotte, North Carolina. Here we saw many color forms of Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass-pink orchid) and one of the largest Venus' Fly-traps I've ever seen. Fortunately, it was also in flower... To read more about this field trip and to see additional images, go to Jim's Blog .

On Sunday, June 16, 2013, I met my photography buddy Kelvin Taylor in the Green Swamp, Brunswick County, North Carolina for a day trip to photograph orchids and whatever else we could find that was interesting. The previous week, we had heard from a mutual friend, Neil Jacobs, that he had rediscovered Spiranthes eatonii (Eaton's Ladies'-tresses orchid) in the Green Swamp Preserve. This was good news since it had not been reliably recorded from the area in more than 50 years. I think that the consecutive anual prescribed burns of the savannah has had a lot to do with it being found. After photographing the Ladies'-tresses orchids, Kelvin and I explored more of the grassy savannah. Soon, we found many Calopogn pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchids) in an amazing range of colors. Before leaving the area and heading home, we drove to Myrtle Head Savannah, to check out the recent (early May) prescribed burn. I've never seen so many Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass-pink orchid) in one place. We even found the rare, pure white form. Removing the dense grass with a prescribed burn works wonders with wildflowers and orchids. Finishing up, we drove over to a roadside site along Hwy. 130, east of Shallotte, North Carolina. Here we saw many color forms of Calopogon tuberosus (Common Grass-pink orchid) and one of the largest Venus' Fly-traps I've ever seen. Fortunately, it was also in flower... To read more about this field trip and to see additional images, go to Jim's Blog .

Today would be a busy one for us with lots of driving. We had three stops on the agenda: Lomond River Trail, a roadside area filled with orchids, and the sleepy village of Tilt Cove on the eastern coast of Newfoundand. To see additional images and to read more about the trip, please visit Jim's Blog ...

Today would be a busy one for us with lots of driving. We had three stops on the agenda: Lomond River Trail, a roadside area filled with orchids, and the sleepy village of Tilt Cove on the eastern coast of Newfoundand. To see additional images and to read more about the trip, please visit Jim's Blog ...

Late this morning, I went back up to the Pisgah National Forest just north of Brevard, North Carolina to check on the possibility of Three-birds orchids being in bloom. I did not see anything of those I wanted to photograph, so I looked around the area, a bit. What I did find nearby was three other neat orchids: Downy Rattlesnake Plantain orchid, Northern Slender Ladies'-tresses orchid, and Crane-fly orchid. These were in pretty good shape, so I spent some time with them...

Late this morning, I went back up to the Pisgah National Forest just north of Brevard, North Carolina to check on the possibility of Three-birds orchids being in bloom. I did not see anything of those I wanted to photograph, so I looked around the area, a bit. What I did find nearby was three other neat orchids: Downy Rattlesnake Plantain orchid, Northern Slender Ladies'-tresses orchid, and Crane-fly orchid. These were in pretty good shape, so I spent some time with them...

Yesterday, my friend Kelvin Taylor told me that he had seen an image of a White Fringed orchid from a bog near Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. I immediately figured out which bog he was referring to, so I planned to visit it today. White Fringed orchids are quite rare in that area of North Carolina, and I wanted to document its presence in the bog. In addition, I would go up to my favorite orchid hunting grounds in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina to check on a few other orchid species that I knew to be in bloom. To see additional images and to read more about the trip, please go to Jim's Blog ...

Yesterday, my friend Kelvin Taylor told me that he had seen an image of a White Fringed orchid from a bog near Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. I immediately figured out which bog he was referring to, so I planned to visit it today. White Fringed orchids are quite rare in that area of North Carolina, and I wanted to document its presence in the bog. In addition, I would go up to my favorite orchid hunting grounds in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina to check on a few other orchid species that I knew to be in bloom. To see additional images and to read more about the trip, please go to Jim's Blog ...

Yesterday, my friend Kelvin Taylor told me that he had seen an image of a White Fringed orchid from a bog near Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. I immediately figured out which bog he was referring to, so I planned to visit it today. White Fringed orchids are quite rare in that area of North Carolina, and I wanted to document its presence in the bog. In addition, I would go up to my favorite orchid hunting grounds in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina to check on a few other orchid species that I knew to be in bloom. To see additional images and to read more about the trip, please go to Jim's Blog ...

Yesterday, my friend Kelvin Taylor told me that he had seen an image of a White Fringed orchid from a bog near Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. I immediately figured out which bog he was referring to, so I planned to visit it today. White Fringed orchids are quite rare in that area of North Carolina, and I wanted to document its presence in the bog. In addition, I would go up to my favorite orchid hunting grounds in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina to check on a few other orchid species that I knew to be in bloom. To see additional images and to read more about the trip, please go to Jim's Blog ...