Platanthera lacera: Country Or Region Of Origin
Eastern and central North America
Plant Profile: Platanthera lacera
Taxonomy: Platanthera laceraNames
Green Fringed Orchid, Ragged Fringed Orchid
Phonetic Spelling:pla-TAN-ther-uh LASS-er-a
Genus:Platanthera
Species:lacera
Family:Orchidaceae
This wetland orchid is commonly found across eastern and central regions of Canada and the United States. Its distinctive fringed floral clusters set it apart visually. The plant thrives in environments with full or partial sunlight, requiring moist conditions and acidic soil that includes sand, silt-loam, peaty substances, or gravel. It naturally inhabits a variety of ecosystems, such as moist and sandy prairies, wet woodlands, shrubby bogs, low-lying areas near streams, sandy fields, and ditches.
Platanthera lacera Feature Summary
Platanthera lacera Image Gallery
Tags
#purple
#white
#yellow
#full sun tolerant
#fragrant flowers
#cream
#perennial
#green
#pink flowers
#riparian
#fall interest
#wetlands
#moist soil
#NC native
#summer flowers
#swamps
#ponds
#acidic soil tolerant
#wildflower garden
#prairies
#peat
#sandy soils tolerant
#partial shade tolerant
#streams
#bog gardens
Similar Plants
Platanthera lacera Feature Summary
Attributes
Eastern and central North America
United States: Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis. Canada: Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec
Flowers attract moths.
Perennial
Fruit
narrowly ellipsoid seed capsules about ¾" long containing numerous tiny seeds,
Capsule
< 1 inch
Flowers
Creamy to yellowish-green flowers in a spike-like cluster; lacerated lower lip creates a fringed appearance. Pollinated by moths.
White
Green
Cream/Tan
Raceme
Spike
Fragrant
Summer
Fall
2-3 rays/petals
Lipped
< 1 inch
Leaves
2-5 alternate leaves along each stem, developing from sheaths. They are 2-8" long and ½–2" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the central stem with the upper leaves being bract-like.
Green
Simple
Alternate
Elliptical
Linear
Oblong
Lanceolate
Entire
> 6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
The stout central stem is light green, terete and glabrous.
Round
Smooth (glabrous)
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Occasionally Wet
Frequent Standing Water
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Platanthera lacera Image Gallery
Platanthera lacera Attributes
Platanthera lacera: Distribution
United States: Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis. Canada: Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec
Platanthera lacera: Wildlife Value
Flowers attract moths.
Platanthera lacera: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Platanthera lacera Fruit
Platanthera lacera: Fruit Description
narrowly ellipsoid seed capsules about ¾" long containing numerous tiny seeds,
Platanthera lacera: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Platanthera lacera: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Platanthera lacera Flowers
Platanthera lacera: Flower Description
Creamy to yellowish-green flowers in a spike-like cluster; lacerated lower lip creates a fringed appearance. Pollinated by moths.
Platanthera lacera: Flower Color
Cream/Tan
Green
White
Platanthera lacera: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Platanthera lacera: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Platanthera lacera: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Platanthera lacera: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Platanthera lacera: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Platanthera lacera: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Platanthera lacera Leaves
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Description
2-5 alternate leaves along each stem, developing from sheaths. They are 2-8" long and ½–2" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the central stem with the upper leaves being bract-like.
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Color
Green
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Platanthera lacera: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Platanthera lacera: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Platanthera lacera Stem
Platanthera lacera: Stem Description
The stout central stem is light green, terete and glabrous.
Platanthera lacera: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Platanthera lacera: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Platanthera lacera: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Platanthera lacera Whole Plant Traits
Platanthera lacera: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Platanthera lacera Cultural Conditions
Platanthera lacera: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Platanthera lacera: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Platanthera lacera: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Platanthera lacera: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Platanthera lacera: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Platanthera lacera: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Platanthera lacera Landscape
Platanthera lacera: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Platanthera lacera: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Platanthera lacera: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
