They tell me there are 30 orchid varieties in Colorado forests — I just found my 6th! Oddly, this gives me a great jolt of happiness, mostly because it means I have many more years of flower searching. I’ve found so many new wildflowers this year, that I was beginning to fear I would run out. Thank you orchids for keeping me inspired. Anyway, this one, the Heartleaf Twayblade. is so small that I had to use my hand and shirt as a back drop just so that you could see them. Otherwise they just blend into the pine needles. Sorry for the quality — but aren’t these cool???!!!
Heartleaf Twayblade
Can you tell me where in RMNP you found this orchid, and how recently? We have been looking for this little guy all season, but it has remained elusive. We’ve found most of the more common wildflowers, but these more rare varieties have been tough to locate. Thanks!
Hello, I found this at Ypsilon Lake on Tuesday. It is a tough 3 hour hike up 2300 feet, but really worth it. Once you get to the lake follow the path counter clockwise and watch for the plants in sheltered spots below rocks. I only found a few. Best of luck!
One more comment … While hiking up watch for Pine Drops under the pines. very cool!
There are hundreds of them as of Aug 24 on the trail to Rogers Pass from Moffat Tunnel’s East Portal (from Rollinsville drive to the end of the road past Tolland). Along with other orchids and pyrolas and monardia. Wish I knew the mileages, but you’ll start seeing them soon after the Crater Lake trail branches off. Stay on the trail to Rogers Pass. The trail is rated Moderate, but it isn’t steep until miles after the twayblades.
Also, along the same trail are at least 2 patches of Goodyeara oblongifolia (rattlesnake plantain). The lower one is in flower. Or was today. The upper has many leaves but no stems or blooms.
Thanks for the info — I’ll check it out
They’re so little that they would have been very easy to overlook.
Very cool and orchid-y! Good for you!
So small but cute! 🙂
I’ve had great luck finding them alongside five stamen mitrewort on some of the little side trails down to Fall River on Old Fall River Road.