This particular plant warms my soul every spring when it blooms. I found these in bloom one rainy spring day in the Erie National Wildlife Refuge near where I live.
A Pennsylvania orchid specimen set against a black background.
This plant blooms for just a few hours! I photographed this one in Pocahontas County, WV. We had a spotter in the area keep an eye on the plants, and when the buds started to swell, indicating that they were about to bloom, we made the five hour drive.
