Featured – Orchids in Alaska - North American Orchid Conservation Center

Alaska Map

Map of Alaska showing biogeographic regions.

Rose Purple Orchid (Dactylorhiza aristata)

Orchid viewing does not get better than in the Aleutians. Flowers of the Rose Purple Orchid, varying in shades from deep purple to white, dot this meadow overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Rose Purple Orchid (Dactylorhiza aristata)

The beautiful Rose Purple Orchid or Keyflower grows throughout the Aleutian chain and prefers the rolling tundra hillsides of southwest Alaska. On Kodiak Island, the leaves of this orchid are uniquely purple-spotted, rivalling the stunning colors of the flowers.

Photo © James Wallace

Round Leaved Orchid (Amerorchis rotundifolia)

The Round Leaved Orchid would make a lovely Easter corsage except that in Alaska it doesn’t bloom until late June and the petals are measured in millimeters. This orchid prefers forests edges throughout central Alaska and into the Yukon Territory.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Northern Twayblade (Neottia borealis)

The Northern Twayblade can be found in muskeg and woodlands in south central Alaska and into the Yukon Territory. The green color blends into the mossy background so one has to look closely to find it. The long, broad lip with a large notch distinguishes this orchid from the 3 other species of Neottia that grow in Alaska.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Spotted Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium guttatum)

The distinctive Spotted Lady’s Slipper ranges over much of Alaska, from the Aleutian chain throughout the Alaska Range, south to the Kenai Peninsula and into the Yukon Territory. It does not cross the Brooks Range so is absent from the arctic tundra.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Spotted Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium guttatum)

A colony of Spotted Lady’s Slipper, one of the easiest of Alaska’s orchids to cultivate, is growing in a friend’s garden. Their nodding heads appear to be gossiping with each other! The plants typically bloom in mid-June for about 2 weeks.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Bog Candle (Platanthera dilatata)

The Bog Candle is sometimes called the “roadside orchid” because at 1 m in height, it is tall enough to see while speeding down the highway at 65 mph. Pull off the road and roll down the window to enjoy their spicy fragrance. Bog Candles are found in most fens and bogs in south central Alaska.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Fairy Slipper (Calypso bulbosa)

The Fairy Slipper is among the first orchids to bloom in Alaska, usually appearing in May. Attracting naïve or newly emerged bees with its fragrance, this flower appears to be laughing at this deception- giving the bee nothing in return for its pollination efforts.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Sparrow’s Egg Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium passerinum)

The Sparrow’s Egg Lady’s Slipper is one of the few members of the orchid family that grows within the Arctic Circle and aptly named for the resemblance of the pouched lip to a sparrow’s egg. The leaves and stems are fuzzy and emerge quickly since the white flowers must be produced early in Alaska’s short summer.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Mertens’ Coral Root (Corallorhiza mertensiana)

Mertens’ Coral Root puts on an amazing display of color even though these orchids lack chlorophyll. They are mycotrophic and depend on fungi to survive in the spruce hemlock forests of southeast Alaska.

Photo © Marilyn Barker

Northern Bog Orchid (Platanthera obtusata)

The Northern Bog Orchid is really more common in woodlands than in bogs, although its flowers are pollinated by mosquitoes. Current research hopes to identify what is attracting the mosquitoes to this orchid with the goal of developing a chemical that could be used as a lure to keep mosquitoes from people.

Palomino Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium yatabeanum)

The Palomino Lady’s Slipper is found only on the Aleutian Islands and Kodiak then extends into Japan. It differs from the Spotted Lady's Slipper by its yellowish pouch, and petals that are rounded rather than blunt tipped. These closely related lady’s slippers are known to hybridize.

Bog Adder’s Tongue – (Hammarbya paludosa)

This diminutive orchid known as the Bog Adder’s Tongue was once thought to be very rare, but is turning up in many fens of south central Alaska, often growing in association with the common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris).

Frog Orchid (Dactylorhiza viridis)

One of the earlier blooming orchids in Alaska, the Frog Orchid is always a treat to find. With just a bit of imagination, each blossom seems to morph into a small green frog. The orchid can be found in tundra and meadows throughout much of Alaska south of the Brooks Range.

MARILYN BARKER, PHOTOGRAPHER

Alaska may be the ‘land of the midnight sun’ but those short summers and brutal winters hardly seem compatible with orchids. Yet with over 30 species, Alaska has 10 times the native orchids found on the Hawaiian Islands, home to just 3 native orchids.

This month photographer Marilyn Barker, and her associates Jim Wallace and Doug Veltre, introduce us to the orchid flora of our 49th state. Many species may be familiar, growing in the lower 48 states and Canada and reaching their northern limit in Alaska. Others, such as the Palomino Lady’s Slipper, have just established a foothold, extending north and east to Russia, Asia, even to the Arctic Circle.

To get you oriented, we start with a map. The Aleutians, Kodiak Island, the Kenai Peninsula – when you see where these places are located, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the term ‘hardy orchids’. The Bering Glacier, in coastal south central Alaska, is exceptionally diverse with 13 species of orchids growing on its rugged terrain. We hope you enjoy this trip up north and to learn more about all of Alaska’s orchids, visit Go Orchids.

Marilyn Barker completed her doctorate in botany with a minor in plant pathology at Washington State University, Pullman. For 30 years she taught biology and botany classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage and at Anchorage Community College and continues a professional affiliation with the Arctic Institute of North America. She coordinated an 8 year floristic survey of the Bering Glacier Region and has been involved with numerous vegetation studies, including Prince William Sound’s shoreline, Bering Land Bridge National Monument, Prudhoe Bay and an exotic plant survey for the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Marilyn completed the Master Gardener Program and served on the board of the Anchorage Weavers and Spinners Guild, and plays flute in the Anchorage Community Concert Band.

Featured – Orchids in Alaska

Alaska Map

Rose Purple Orchid (Dactylorhiza aristata)

Rose Purple Orchid (Dactylorhiza aristata)

Round Leaved Orchid (Amerorchis rotundifolia)

Northern Twayblade (Neottia borealis)

Spotted Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium guttatum)

Spotted Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium guttatum)

Bog Candle (Platanthera dilatata)

Fairy Slipper (Calypso bulbosa)

Sparrow’s Egg Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium passerinum)

Mertens’ Coral Root (Corallorhiza mertensiana)

Northern Bog Orchid (Platanthera obtusata)

Palomino Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium yatabeanum)

Bog Adder’s Tongue – (Hammarbya paludosa)

Frog Orchid (Dactylorhiza viridis)

MARILYN BARKER, PHOTOGRAPHER

Stay up to date with NAOCC

Subscribe to the NAOCC Newsletter!