Choose a stream orchid, marsh helleborine, or the weedy woodland kind. Match the tag to the habitat, not only the flower color.
Choose a stream orchid, marsh helleborine, or the weedy woodland kind
| Kind | Best for | Not for |
|---|---|---|
| Stream orchid | A moist western margin or pond edge; the native colony | A dry border, or a substitute for the weedy woodland kind |
| Marsh helleborine | A wet fen or pond collar that stays moist; more sun if wet | A marsh orchid sold as Dactylorhiza |
| Woodland weedy kind | A county where it is already wanted, and you can contain it | A crop where it already takes over lawns |
Know your USDA hardiness zone before you pick a type of epipactis that will take your winter. Type your ZIP below.
2023 USDA ZIP listings (PRISM / USDA-ARS). Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone · Official USDA map.
Read the tag and match the job: a native stream orchid for a moist western margin, marsh helleborine for a wet fen, or the weedy woodland kind only where it is legal and wanted. [1] broad-leaved helleborine forms large colonies in lawns, sidewalks, and beds. It is the kind many eastern gardeners are trying to remove, not to plant. [2] giant helleborine is the western native. Shops also call it stream orchid or chatterbox because the lip moves when you touch it. [3] marsh helleborine is marsh helleborine, still this genus, for a wet fen or pond margin that can take more sun if the soil stays wet. [4] Site and water stay on How to Grow Helleborine. Set the rhizome on Planting Helleborine.
Which helleborine should I buy?
Start with the native stream orchid for a moist margin, marsh helleborine for a wet fen, or skip the weedy woodland kind if it is a problem in your county.
Browse by kind
These are the kinds in this catalog. Match the job first: native stream, wet fen, or weedy woodland. Do not buy on flower color alone when habitat also changes what you get. A shop name such as giant hellebore still belongs with the stream group.
Stream orchid
The western native — stream orchid, also sold as chatterbox or giant helleborine. It wants a moist margin and will form a colony.
Woodland weedy kind
Broad-leaved helleborine — a Eurasian woodland orchid that can take over lawns and beds in much of the eastern United States.
Marsh helleborine
The wet-fen kind — marsh helleborine for a pond margin that stays moist. It is not the marsh orchid sold as Dactylorhiza.
If the tag says only helleborine, check whether you are buying the native stream kind, marsh helleborine, or the weedy woodland orchid.
FAQ
Is marsh helleborine the same as marsh orchid?
No. Marsh helleborine is Epipactis palustris. Marsh orchid in this catalog is Dactylorhiza, a different hardy orchid with finger tubers.
Is Serpentine Night a kind we list?
No. That is a dark-leaf garden form of stream orchid. Sort it with the stream group if you find the tag.
Should I plant broad-leaved helleborine?
Usually no, in the eastern United States. It can take over lawns and beds. Check your county, and do not plant it where it crowds native orchids.
Related guides
References
- [1] Orchid Society of Northern Nevada -
https://osnnv.org/epipactis-gigantea-stream-orchid/ - [2] Gardenia -
https://www.gardenia.net/plant/epipactis-helleborine - [3] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center -
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=EPGI - [4] Missouri Botanical Garden -
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=283348
This note is part of Epipactis Guides.
More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors