Neottia smallii (Kidneyleaf Twayblade orchids) in the Pisgah National Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina — 2013-06-28

I was looking through some of my photographic archive when I realized that I may have already missed this year’s flowering of Neottia (formerly Listera) smallii or Kidneyleaf Twayblade orchid. Note of interest: As of 2009, this species has, as have all of the Twayblade orchids, been placed in the genus, Neottia.

Here is a closeup of the 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch (6-9 mm) flowers:

Curious as to whether they might still be in bloom, I made a day trip north (about 1.5 hours) to the Pisgah National Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina, where I had photographed them last year around the end of May. When I arrived at the site, I gathered my camera gear and headed off into the woods. Soon, I came to the first site where I had seen a few plants growing under a large Rhododendron maximum shrub:

I stooped down and moved aside the branches of the Rhododendron so that I could look at the space underneath. What I found was a dozen or so two-leaved (thus the name, Twayblade) plants, two of which were in bloom:

The tiny flowers on these plants were a light, greenish tan color and were well along in their blooming. The color of the flowers was very similar to the dead leaves which had accumulated under the Rhododendron, and I found myself looking for the bright, shiny green leaves in order that I might find the plants in that deep shade. Here is an image of a plant showing the flowers and kidney-shaped leaves. Behind it, is a juvenile, non-flowering plant:

I mentioned flower color because I have seen mint-green colored flowers on a field trip last year into northeastern Georgia:

I know a number of locations for this species in both North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and it is my experience that Kidneyleaf Twayblade orchid plants are always found in deep shade, growing under Rhododendron maximum. And, they are always growing close to a stream or other water source. This makes it rather easy to locate likely habitats. The plants I found on this field trip were blooming a bit late in the season, but all of the orchid species I’ve photographed during 2013 were on a late flowering schedule.

Here are images of some of the Kidneyleaf Twayblade orchid plants I’ve photographed in the past couple of years:

Kidneyleaf Twayblade orchid can be found growing in a narrow region of a portion of ten states situated along the Appalachian Mountain chain from Georgia, north to Pennsylvania. Although this species is not considered plentiful, it is my opinion that is can be found more frequently than is generally thought. It takes a bit more effort to locate the plants than merely seeing them growing in a roadside ditch or in a wet meadow.

Although I was a bit disappointed that I did not see perfect plants on today’s trip into the mountains, it is my fault for waiting as long as I did to see and photograph them. But with orchids, one can never be sure excactly when they will be blooming or even if they will re-appear at the same location during their normal blooming season. I guess I was actually lucky to find them looking as nice as they were…

— Jim