trefle.io · Taken Jun 15, 2019 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)
Orchidaceae
Red-helleborine
Cephalanthera rubra
Also known as Cymbidium rubrum, Cephalanthera rubra f. tenczyniensis, Epipactis rubra, Epipactis purpurea
Native Plants · Orchid · Rare · Woodland Orchid · Terrestrial Orchid · European Wildflower · Specialist Plant · Chalk Grassland · Native Plant · Pink Flowers · Mycorrhizal
Red-helleborine is a rare and exquisite European terrestrial orchid that produces striking pink-red blooms in early summer in dappled woodland shade. It requires very specific conditions — alkaline, well-drained, nutrient-poor chalky or limestone soil with a fungal mycorrhizal community — making it extremely challenging to cultivate outside its native habitat. This plant is best appreciated in specialist native plant or woodland gardens and is not recommended for beginners.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 4 hours
- Watering
- Water sparingly at the base; keep soil just moist and never waterlogged, as roots are highly sensitive to excess moisture · Every 7-10 days during growing season; minimal watering in dormancy
- Maintenance
- High
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 7.5–8
- Temperature
- -10°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Division
Hardiness
USDA 5a-11b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 6 in – 2 ft
- Spread
- 6 in
- Spacing
- 10 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Fine
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Corse, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece
- Attracts
- Bees
Sources: trefle, usda
More Cephalanthera
Related plants from the same genus
Buy this plant
No nurseries currently list it
No nursery lists Red-helleborine right now.