Epipactis helleborine

Broad-leaved helleborine, Broad-Leaved Helleborine

Family: Orchidaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Broad-leaved helleborine is a naturalized perennial orchid found in southern North Coast Ranges, southern North Coast Interiors, central Sierra Nevada, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, and expected in other regions, typically occurring on dry slopes, roadcuts, and mixed-conifer forest at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from April to December, this plant produces green to pink flowers with sepals often purple-tinged, featuring lateral petals 8 to 11 millimeters long and a distinctive lip that transitions from white to pink on the outside and brown to purple on the inside. Growing with robust stems 40 to 100 centimeters tall, it develops an elegant vertical structure characteristic of woodland orchids. Its leaves are 6 to 10 centimeters long, ranging from lanceolate to ovate, and displaying varied coloration including green, white, and pink tones. The fruit develops 1 to 1.5 centimeters long, completing the plant's seasonal cycle.

Habitat: Generally dry slopes, roadcuts, mixed-conifer forest

Bloom period: Apr-Dec

Elevation: < 1300 m

Bioregions: s NCoRO, s NCoRI, c SNH, CCo, SnFrB, expected elsewhere

California counties: Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Marin, Monterey, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda, Napa, Sonoma, Tuolumne

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.