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Calopogon pallidus

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
kal-oh-POH-gon PAL-lid-dus
Description

Pale Grass Pink is a native perennial orchid found in moist areas such as bogs, pinelands, and meadows and is known to flower abundantly after disturbances such as wildfires. It is found in the coastal areas from Virginia to Florida and west to Louisiana, including the sandhills and coastal plains of North Carolina. This unusual plant produces several pink or white non-resupinate flowers and grass-like basal leaves. The flowers of this orchid have the lip on the upper part of the bloom as a way to trick bees in for pollination. The blooming period is long and Pale Grass Pink flowers later than other species of Calopogon, with the exception of C. tuberosus.

Pale Grass Pink grow from a globose or elongated corm (a short vertical underground stem). There is 1 or rarely 2 linear, grass-like leaves. Flowers appear in racemes with 3 to 20 flowers per raceme approximately ½ inch apart on the raceme. Flowers open sequentially from the base to apex of the raceme with 1-3 flowers open at any one time. The 1 inch flowers are the smallest of any Grass Pink species. Flower color ranges from pale pink or purple through white. The flowers are slightly fragrant. This is our smallest flowered species of Grass Pink. It also flowers later than other species, and for a longer period of time.

As with all native orchids, you should not dig or pick them. This plant is not recommended for the home landscape and is, perhaps, best left in its native habitat to enjoy.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known pests or diseases.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#heat tolerant#native perennial#NC native#herbaceous perennial#native wildflower#Coastal OBL#food source nectar#food source pollen#Piedmont Mountains OBL#bird friendly#bee friendly#Audubon#boggy sites#wildflower
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#heat tolerant#native perennial#NC native#herbaceous perennial#native wildflower#Coastal OBL#food source nectar#food source pollen#Piedmont Mountains OBL#bird friendly#bee friendly#Audubon#boggy sites#wildflower
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Calopogon
    Species:
    pallidus
    Family:
    Orchidaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeastern U.S.A.
    Distribution:
    Virginia, south to Florida, west to Louisiana.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Drainage:
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    The fruit is a capsule with many dust-like seed. Fruits are available July-August.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Lipped
    Flower Petals:
    Colored Sepals
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Flowers bloom May-July and are white to pink in color. The orchid type bloom has the lip on the top rather than the bottom of the bloom. It is distinguished by its widely spaced 1 inch flowers in a long spike, one to three flowers opening simultaneously, lateral sepals and petals entire to barely obpandurate and falcate.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Grass-like basal leaves, veined, but not needle-like or scale-like.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Stems are 1-2 feet in height.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Landscape Theme:
    Native Garden
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Heat