Copy permalink to share

Spiranthes vernalis Engelmann & A. Gray. Common name: Spring Ladies'-tresses. Phenology: Mar-Jul (-early Sep in the mountains). Habitat: Pine savannas, bogs, marshes, fairly dry fields. Distribution: MA to s. FL and west to TX and SD; West Indies; Mexico and Central America.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Bah, C, ETx1, F, FNA26, G, GW1, Il, K4, Mo1, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Brown (2002), Correll (1950), Luer (1975); = Ibidium vernale (Engelm. & A.Gray) House — S, S13. Basionym: Spiranthes vernalis Engelm. & A.Gray 1845

Links to other floras: = Spiranthes vernalis - FNA26

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FACW
  • Midwest: FAC
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Alan Cressler: Spiranthes vernalis, Powerline Prairie, Murray County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Spiranthes vernalis? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.


Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial of savannas, bogs, marshes and fairly dry fields.

Stems: Stems unbranched and densely hairy above.

Leaves: Leaves (4-5) basal (upper leaves reduced to bract-like sheaths), linear or narrowly lance-shaped, 2-10 in. long, smooth and persisting through flower bloom.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers 12-50 on a hairy (non-glandular), slender, spiraled spike; white to cream; 1/4-1/2 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; each flower consisting of 5 petals and petal-like sepals, including 2 linear lateral sepals and a lower lip with crinkled edges and a cream-yellow center or 2 brown spots.

Fruits: Fruit a tiny, ellipsoid capsule.

Comments: Flowers are fragrant.

Height: 8-35 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial of savannas, bogs, marshes and fairly dry fields.

stems: Stems unbranched and densely hairy above.

leaves: Leaves (4-5) basal (upper leaves reduced to bract-like sheaths), linear or narrowly lance-shaped, 2-10 in. long, smooth and persisting through flower bloom.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers 12-50 on a hairy (non-glandular), slender, spiraled spike; white to cream; 1/4-1/2 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; each flower consisting of 5 petals and petal-like sepals, including 2 linear lateral sepals and a lower lip with crinkled edges and a cream-yellow center or 2 brown spots.

fruits: Fruit a tiny, ellipsoid capsule.

comments: Flowers are fragrant.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



0 unsaved edits on this page.