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Military orchid

 

 

The greatest chance of finding the habitats of the pretty military orchids is on dry and lime-rich soils in western Estonia. They can be found in meadows, alvars, sparse juniper shrubs where sheep still are grazing, but also at road or ditch banks, in fallow fields, even in old gravel pits unused for years.

 

Some habitats can suddenly become empty of military orchids. This can be explained by the short lifetime of the plants, and the relatively quick spread of the plants in  new habitats.  In fertile soil the military orchid can grow into a really exotic beauty, with a height of up to half a metre. At flowering time the plants can be damaged by wild boar who don’t come to enjoy the beauty of the flowers in the summer night but search for the rounded tubers of the plant precisely at this time. I have come across some such places, and the traces of the “swinish rootings” leave no chance to blame someone else.

 

The military orchid is one of the most widely spread orchids, and can be distinguished from other similar species by the flowers being lighter on the outsides and its large, pale green leaves. As an insect pollinated species the plant attracts  bees to visit by its colourful flowers, unfortunately leaving them without nectar.

 

Why has the Latin name of the plant associations to the military? Let us take a closer look at the flower of the military orchid. Doesn’t the flower remind of a small soldier with a large helmet, arms and legs akimbo, and the plant itself stands ramrod straight with a military stance. Or are there better notions?