Bee orchid.

De un vistazo

Nivel de cuidados

Difícil

Tipo de planta

Terrestrial orchid

Luz

Full sun to partial shade

Luz en interior

Luz indirecta brillante

Riego

Cada 7 a 14 días

Tamaño adulto

1 to 2 feet

Ritmo de crecimiento

Lento

Rusticidad

USDA 6 a 9

Floración

Late spring to early summer

Cuidados

This plant is notoriously hard to keep in a container because it relies on specific soil fungi. It prefers undisturbed soil and plenty of light. Watch for yellowing leaves as a sign of poor drainage or fungal issues.

Riego

Keep the soil moist but never waterlogged during the growing season.

Abonado

Use a very dilute orchid fertilizer only during the active growth phase.

Poda

Remove the flower spike only after the seeds have dispersed.

Trasplante

Repotting is generally discouraged as it disrupts the delicate root and fungal relationship.

Suelo

Chalky or limestone based

pH del suelo

Alkaline

Temperatura

-10 a 30°C

Humedad

40 a 70%

Seguridad

Personas

The plant is generally considered non-toxic but should not be consumed.

Niños

Keep away from children as the plant is delicate and not meant for handling or consumption.

Alérgenos por contacto

There are no known significant skin irritants associated with this orchid.

Alérgenos en el aire

The pollen is not considered a significant airborne allergen.

Comestibilidad

This plant is not considered edible and ingestion may cause digestive distress.

Cómo identificarla

• Lip resembles a fuzzy bumblebee
• Pinkish purple sepals
• Greenish basal leaves
• Slender upright flowering spike

Altura

0,2 a 0,5m

Anchura

0,1 a 0,2m

Hojas

green, deciduous

Flores

pink, brown, yellow, 2 a 4cm

Problemas frecuentes

• Root rot — Occurs when the soil remains too wet for extended periods.

Cómo cultivarla

Propagación

seed

Cuándo plantar

autumn

Plant in areas with low competition from aggressive grasses to ensure the orchid receives enough light.

Buenas compañeras

• Quaking grass — It shares similar requirements for open, lime-rich grassland habitats.
• Cowslip — They both thrive in the same well-drained, nutrient-poor soil conditions.

Especies parecidas

• Ophrys sphegodes — It shares a similar mimicry strategy and habitat preference.

Ciencia

Familia

Orchidaceae

Género

Ophrys

Orden

Asparagales

Clase

Liliopsida

Distribución natural

Europe, Mediterranean, and parts of the Middle East.

Conservación

While widespread, it is protected in some regions and should never be collected from the wild.

It thrives in calcareous grasslands and disturbed sites where it forms symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi.

Valor para la fauna

nectar source

Polinizadores

abejas

Usos

ornamental gardening, wildflower meadows

Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.

Lo que más preguntan

Can I grow this in a pot?

It is very difficult to maintain in containers due to its specific fungal requirements.

Why did my orchid disappear?

The plant is deciduous and dies back to a tuber after flowering, often remaining dormant for long periods.

De dónde viene el nombre

The genus name Ophrys comes from the Greek word for eyebrow, while apifera refers to the bee-like appearance of the labellum.

Bueno saberlo

• The name apifera means bee-bearing.
• It is often called the bee orchid.
• It can self-pollinate if bees are absent.
• The plant often appears unexpectedly in disturbed ground.