Bee orchid.

At a glance

Care level

Difficult

Plant type

Terrestrial orchid

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Indoor light

Bright indirect

Water

Every 7 to 14 days

Mature size

1 to 2 feet

Growth rate

Slow

Hardiness

USDA 6 to 9

Bloom time

Late spring to early summer

Care

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.

Watering

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

Feeding

Do not fertilize. This orchid grows best in nutrient-poor soil, and feeding can harm its fungal partners and encourage competing grasses.

Pruning

Remove the flower spike only after the seeds have dispersed.

Repotting

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

Soil

Chalky or limestone based

Soil pH

Alkaline

Temperature

-10 to 30°C

Humidity

40 to 70%

Safety

People

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

Children

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

Contact allergens

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

Airborne allergens

The pollen is not considered a significant airborne allergen.

Edibility

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

How to identify it

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

Height

0.2 to 0.5m

Spread

0.1 to 0.2m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

pink, brown, yellow, 2 to 4cm

Problems to watch for

• Root RotCommon
• Slugs and SnailsCommon
• AphidsUncommon
• Botrytis BlightUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

autumn

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

Grows well with

• 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.

Similar species

• Early spider orchid · It shares a similar mimicry strategy and habitat preference.

Science

Family

Orchidaceae

Genus

Ophrys

Order

Asparagales

Class

Liliopsida

Native range

Europe, Mediterranean, and parts of the Middle East.

Conservation

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.

Value to wildlife

no nectar; flowers mimic female bees

Pollinators

bees

Uses

ornamental gardening, wildflower meadows

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

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.

Where the name comes from

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

Good to know

• 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.