Platanthera sparsiflora
Sparse-flowered bog-orchid, Sparse-Flowered Bog-Orchid
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Orchidaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Platanthera sparsiflora (Sparse-flowered bog-orchid) is a native California herb in the Orchidaceae family, recognized by spur length and orientation help separate from similar green-flowered species.
Sparse-flowered bog-orchid is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, southern California mountains, Transverse Ranges, Mojave Desert, and Modoc Plateau in wet meadows, streambanks, seeps, and conifer forest at elevations of 100 to 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to September, this orchid produces yellow-green to green flowers in a loose inflorescence 15 to 40 centimeters long, with delicate linear to lance-linear lip petals 6 to 10 millimeters long. Growing 25 to 55 centimeters tall with slender stems, the plant emerges from moist ground with graceful, elongated form. Its leaves are 4 to 15 centimeters long and 5 to 30 millimeters wide, positioned along the stem to capture light in its damp habitats. The flower's distinctive curved cylindrical spur, nearly equal in length to its lip, provides a unique architectural element to this elegant orchid.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; spur length and orientation help separate from similar green-flowered species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Full sun to partial shade, wet meadows, streambanks, seeps, conifer forest
Elevation: 100-3400 m
California counties: Mendocino, Tulare, San Bernardino, Del Norte, Shasta, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Fresno, Kern, El Dorado, Mono, Trinity, Alpine, Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Plumas, Ventura, Humboldt, Madera, Inyo, Riverside, Nevada, Amador, Lake, Sierra, Tehama, Butte, Modoc, Glenn, Placer, Calaveras, San Luis Obispo, Lassen
Outside California: to Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Baja California
Bloom period
Platanthera sparsiflora blooms May-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Spiranthes: Platanthera flowers have spurs and grow in a regular spike, while Spiranthes flowers lack spurs and spiral up the stem.; vs Fritillaria: Platanthera has narrow leaves with a central fold and small spurred flowers, while Fritillaria has broader leaves and large nodding bell-shaped flowers.; vs Clintonia: Platanthera has flowers in a spike with spurs, while Clintonia has few large flowers without spurs and broad basal leaves.; vs Epipactis: Platanthera leaves have one central fold and flowers have spurs, while Epipactis leaves have multiple pleats and flowers lack spurs.; vs Habenaria: Habenaria is an outdated name for Platanthera - they are the same genus.
Frequently asked questions
Is Platanthera sparsiflora native to California?
Yes. Platanthera sparsiflora is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Platanthera sparsiflora bloom?
Platanthera sparsiflora blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Platanthera sparsiflora grow?
Platanthera sparsiflora occurs in Mendocino, Tulare, San Bernardino, Del Norte, Shasta, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 100-3400 m.
What plant family does Platanthera sparsiflora belong to?
Platanthera sparsiflora is in the Orchidaceae family, genus Platanthera.
What habitat does Platanthera sparsiflora grow in?
Platanthera sparsiflora grows in Full sun to partial shade, wet meadows, streambanks, seeps, conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.