Pogonia ophioglossoides

The Pogonia ophioglossoides is a charming small aquatic orchid known as the Snake-mouthed Pogonia. Native to America, where it grows in wet areas, it is incredibly hardy and tolerates heat well as long as it never lacks water. In late spring, it produces a small flower with a characteristic shape, in shades of pink and violet, at the end of each stem. This small deciduous perennial spreads each year to form a small clump in sunny exposure and acidic, consistently moist soil—a rarity for connoisseurs and enthusiasts of original orchids.

The Orchidaceae family is rich in species (over 25,000) and remarkably diverse, including epiphytic plants (which use trees to support) and garden species growing in the ground. Some are even aquatic in North America and eastern Asia, as in the Pogonia genus. Pogonia ophioglossoides is native to the North American continent, Canada, and the United States. This species has an incredibly extensive range, extending from the northern tip of Newfoundland to southern Florida, reaching far inland in the United States, covering the entire Great Lakes region and extending to Texas in the south. With its almost delicate appearance, this small orchid adapts to many climates, withstanding freezing temperatures down to -30°C and the subtropical conditions of Florida. It grows spontaneously in turf moors, wet meadows, marshes, and riverbanks.
The plant forms a rootstock that survives in winter as the above-ground part disappears. In spring, it produces a thin, erect stem, 25 to 35 cm tall, usually bearing a single flower (sometimes two or three). The stem also carries a single sheathing leaf, light green in colour, located halfway up. This particularity gives this orchid species its common name of Snake-mouthed Pogonia, by analogy with the Ophioglossum fern, which also has a single leaf (in Greek, "ophis" means snake and "glôssa" means tongue). Depending on the climate, the flowering occurs between May and July and is relatively discreet but very graceful. The flowers measure approximately 2 cm in width, not fully spreading but slightly folded forward, and have a typical orchid shape. They consist of three sepals and two morphologically similar petals, elongated in shape, slightly rounded, and light pink. The sepals measure from 14 to 23 mm, and the two upper petals generally have pink-violet streaks on their inner surface. The third petal, in the lower position, measures 12 to 25 mm long and is quite different from the other five floral parts. In orchids, this labellum petal attracts insects that will pollinate the plant, like Pogonia and bumblebees. The labellum is spatulate, fringed at the edges and decorated with pink-violet veins, with rows of hairs that give it a bearded appearance and a yellow central part. As the rootstock grows over the years, the plant produces more and more flowering stems and, therefore, more flowers, gaining presence.

Pogonia ophioglossoides will primarily appeal to enthusiasts, as its charming flowering remains discreet. It can be planted on a riverbank in an open space to enjoy the sun and fit perfectly into a natural garden. You can plant the Orontium aquaticum or Golden Club, a curious Araceae with large leaves of beautiful green colour, which blooms in summer, producing very original erect yellow spadices in the water next to it at a shallow depth. The Cotton Grass (Eriophorum angustifolium), another moor plant, will perfectly complement your scene by adding a light touch with its summer inflorescences in small, pure white plumes. The Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris) will also be a good companion for your Pogonia. Its clusters of pendant flowers, blending green, brown, purple, and white, have a wild appearance that will perfectly match the spirit of your setting.