A terrestrial orchid with a rosette of oblong dark green leaves and flower spikes up to 35cm. Flowers may appear from February to April and are a mixture of oval, green sepals and triangle-shaped petals flushed with bronze. It has a three-lobed brownish velvety lip, resembling a bee. The species is very common in Portugal and the Algarve where it thrives in coastal areas with sandy soils containing crushed shells, and on waste ground and abandoned farmland
Growing Information
Height
0.1-0.5 Metres
Spread
0-0.1 Metre
Care Guide
Cultivation
Best in well-drained, sandy or gritty, humus-rich, neutral to alkaline soil in partial shade. Plant dormant tubers in autumn, at least 5cm deep. Can be naturalised in fine turf. V