Dactylorhiza is a genus of terrestrial plants growing from tubers in the Orchidaceae family. There are many species and many hybrids, natural and from gardening. The plants are 30 to 70 cm tall with different shapes in the foliage and different colored flowers. Both are often speckled. Species are widely distributed in the subarctic and temperate northern hemisphere where they grow in wet meadows, bogs and heathland. They like wet soil in a semi-shaded position.
Dactylorhiza maculata This species from northwest Africa, Europe to Siberia grows to 60-70 cm tall, has purple flowers , spotted leaves and blooms in June. Photos by Giorgio Pozzi showing them growing in the garden.
