Piperia candida or Slender White Piperia

Piperia candida is also known as Slender White Piperia or White Flowered Piperia or Pearl Orchid. This terrestrial orchid can be found in coniferous and mixed evergreen forests. Flowers are often dense on one side of the stem. The white flowers number up to 100. The dorsal sepal has a green mid-vein. The white triangular shaped lip points downward. The spur is 2-3½ mm long. The flowers have a honey like fragrance. The 2 to 3 basal round to ovate leaves are 4-6 inches long. Leaves are usually absent at flowering. The distribution is from southern Alaska thru to California.

• Height: 8 to 24 inches
• Flower size: 4 to 6 mm wide
• Blooms: May to August

Piperia elegans subsp. elegans or Elegant Piperia

Piperia elegans subsp. elegans or Coast Piperia or Elegant Piperia can be found growing in coniferous forests, on coastal bluffs, scrub and headlands. Synonyms are Piperia maritima or Platanthera elegans. The white flowers are dense and number up to 100. The sepals have green veining. The spur is 6-14 mm long. The 2 to 3 leaves are 12” long and may be absent during flowering. The distribution is from British Columbia thru California, northern Idaho and western Montana.

• Height: 3 to 36 inches
• Flower size: 5 mm wide
• Blooms: July to September

Piperia elongata or Wood Rein-Orchid

Piperia elongata is also known as Long-spurred Piperia, Long Spiked Piperia, Wood Rein-Orchid or Chaparral Orchid. This terrestrial orchid can be found in dry and moist oak or coniferous forests in the north and chaparrals in the south. This orchid can live in sun or shade. Piperia elongata can occur with Piperia transversa. Flowers can either be densely or loosely spaced and number over 100. The green flowers have a triangle lip. The spur is 6-15 mm long. The 2 to 4 basal leaves are oblong-elliptic shaped. Leaves are usually absent at flowering. The distribution is California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.

• Height: 39 inches
• Flower size: 5 mm wide
• Blooms: June to September

Piperia transversa or Flat-Spurred Piperia

Piperia transversa is also known as Flat-Spurred Piperia. This terrestrial orchid can be found in partial shade to full sun in dry oak or mixed coniferous woods and sandy areas near coastal forests. Piperia transversa can occur with Piperia elongata. The white to yellow flowers are densely spaced and number over 100. The sepals and petals have green mid-veining. The flattened spur is 6-10 mm and twice as long as the lip. A sweet floral fragrance can be detected at night. The pair of basal leaves are absent at time of flowering. The distribution is British Columbia to California.

• Height: 14 inches
• Flower size: 3 to 5 mm wide
• Blooms: May to Late August