Rose Pogonia
Pogonia ophioglossoides
The flower of the Rose Pogonia mimics the scent of fresh raspberries to attract bumblebees, which are fooled into pollinating it without receiving any nectar reward.
- Scientific name
- Pogonia ophioglossoides
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Asparagales › Orchidaceae › Pogonia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Sphagnum bogs, fens, wet acidic meadows, and peaty lake shores.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (autotrophic), supplemented by nutrients from symbiotic soil fungi.
- Range
- Eastern Canada, Eastern United States, Central United States
- Size
- 8 to 35 cm tall, with flowers 2 to 3 cm wide
- Lifespan
- Perennial (individual rhizomes can live for over a decade)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Wetland drainage, habitat fragmentation, peat mining, ecological succession (overgrowth by woody shrubs), and illegal collection.
- Safe to approach?
- This species is completely harmless. If you encounter it, observe it from a distance of at least 3 feet to avoid trampling the highly sensitive, saturated wetland soil and sphagnum moss surrounding its root system. Never attempt to transplant or pick wild orchids, as they rarely survive outside their native microhabitats.
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Photo: Hungry-Sarracenia Photo, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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