Spiranthes porrifolia

Western ladies' tresses, leek-leaved ladies' tresses

Family: Orchidaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Western ladies' tresses is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, northern central coast, San Francisco Bay Area, southern coastal range, southern California islands, and Peninsular Ranges in wet meadows, freshwater marshes, and seeps at elevations up to 2,700 meters. Flowering from June to September, this delicate orchid produces yellowish to cream-colored flowers densely and tightly spiraled along the stem. Growing 15 to 60 centimeters tall with ascending stems, it develops basal and cauline lanceolate leaves that rise along the plant's slender structure. Its leaves are distinctive, emerging from the base and climbing the stem in slim, lance-shaped blades that support the intricate flower spiral. The fruit develops as a light brown capsule, completing the plant's elegant seasonal cycle.

Habitat: Wet to moist meadows, freshwater marshes, seeps, wet roadsides

Bloom period: Jun-Sep

Elevation: < 2700 m

Bioregions: NW (exc NCoRI), CaR, SN, n CCo, SnFrB, SCoRO, SnGb, PR

California counties: Placer, Tuolumne, Tulare, Nevada, Del Norte, Siskiyou, Shasta, Trinity, Madera, San Joaquin, Monterey, Humboldt, Mendocino, Inyo, Mariposa, San Bernardino, Mono, Fresno, El Dorado, Calaveras, Sonoma, San Francisco, Modoc, Butte, Plumas, Tehama, Lassen, Yuba, Lake, Alameda, Napa, Marin, Stanislaus, Riverside, San Diego, Sierra, Sacramento, Santa Cruz

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