Wild Orchids

In Maine? Yes, in Maine.

This is a wild orchid. 😍🥰😍

I honestly could not believe it when I discovered that there were, not one, but two varieties of wild orchids growing in our Maine woods.

I very much thought of wild orchids as a sort of exotic, sort of tropical occurrence.

And yet.

Here, in the dappled recesses of the northern Maine woods, this Helleborine will bloom one tiny orchid blossom after another, a dozen in a row, up a slender stalk peeking out from among fern fronds and mosses at the base of an old maple tree.

One of the blossoms will have a tiny fairy-person sitting cross-legged inside who, once I have seen, I absolutely cannot un-see.

This year, my husband discovered another Helleborine, tucked up against the wild unruliness of a hazel shrub. This, for some reason, was an absolutely optimal condition, and this Helleborine is blooming in a full cluster of dozens of blossoms up its tall stalk.

In this blissful wild orchid super-sanctuary, I discovered a lone Yellowjacket. I was today years old when I learned that a Yellowjacket (at least this one particular Yellowjacket) will tuck its head inside a wild orchid blossom to sleep.

I was moving some grass out of the way to take pictures when I spotted this guy, absolutely still, with his head inside a blossom. He briefly peeked at me, wiggled momentarily, and then settled back into absolute stillness, head nestled contently onto his wild woodland pillow. He did not twitch one leg or wing or antenna while I rustled around taking photos from all angles, and he was still snuggled right in when I fled the whining mosquitoes for safer spaces.

I’ve read that Helleborines are non-native, having been introduced from Europe, and that they grow so aggressively in some locations as to be considered a weed. But I am grateful every year to wander out into the woods and find wild orchids growing there.

Wild. Orchids. In the woods. That lull the angry hornets into peaceful dreams 🤣

In the golden light of a setting sun, it’s hard to imagine anything more magical.

P.S. For those of you keeping count, I definitely did say that there are, not one, but two wild orchids blooming here in our Maine woods.

A true native, the Pink Ladyslipper is an improbably elegant orchid that emerges incongruously from beneath rotten logs, out of mounds of mosses, and through jumbles of balsam fir saplings. They really do class up the joint.

Nature Moments, where I share photography + stories about moments of connection in nature, does not have a set publishing schedule right now. I write when I can :) In the meantime, please enjoy the archives, and also keep an eye out for shorter musings on Substack Notes 🌿