Skip to content
← Plant Database
bird's-nest orchid

bird's-nest orchid

Neottia nidus-avis

herbaceous🌥️ full shade💧💧 moderate waterZone 4aZone 8b

A rare, saprophytic orchid that lacks chlorophyll and relies on fungal partners for nutrition, producing delicate cream-colored flowers on leafless stems. It thrives in deep shade on the forest floor and is difficult to cultivate outside its natural habitat.

Overview

Form
Upright
Growth Rate
slow
Size
0.5–1.5′ tall × 0.25–0.5′ wide
Dormancy
deciduous

Tolerances & Soil

none
Zone 4aZone 8b
1471013
ColderWarmer
Zone range: Zone 4a to Zone 8b

Seasonality

Bloom Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Season of Interest

SpringSummer

Herb

Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.

Succession Role

mid successionalclimax

Native Range

Europe, western Asia, North Africa

Function & Care

Establishment & Care

Establishment
challenging
Maintenance
low
Propagation
seed

Companion Planting

Plants well with