General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Wet Mesic
Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9b
Plant Height: 1 to 2 feet
Fruit: Other: Small capsules containing numerous tiny seeds
Fruiting Time: Winter
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Summer
Late summer or early fall
Fall
Underground structures: Rhizome
Suitable Locations: Bog gardening
Uses: Medicinal Herb
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Pollinators: Bumblebees
Bees

Image
Common names
  • Nodding Lady's Tresses
  • Nodding Ladies' Tresses Orchid
  • Orchid
  • Ladies' Tresses Orchid
  • Navasota Lady's Tresses
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Spiranthes cernua
  • Synonym: Spiranthes parksii

Photo Gallery
Location: Aberdeen, NC Pages Lake park
Date: November 5, 2022
Nodding Lady's Tresses #41; RAB p. 346, 49-12-2; AG p. 501, 110-9
Location: Fleetville, Pa
Date: 2023-09-22
Growing on the slope next to our pond
Location: Fleetville, Pa
Date: September 9. 2022
cut spike to take close ups
Location:  Driving towards Scranton, Pa
Date: September 9. 2022
This location is home to a couple of 1000 Spiranthes cernua plant
Location: Fleetville, Pa
Date: 2023-09-22
growing in ditch next to dirt road
Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: October 15, 2021
Ladies Tresses #41; RAB p. 346, 49-12-2; AG p. 501, 110-9-3,"Name
Location: Aberdeen, NC Pages Lake park
Date: October 13, 2022
Nodding Lady's Tresses #41; RAB p. 346, 49-12-2; AG p. 501, 110-9
Location: next to our pond, Fleetville, NE Pa
Date: 2023-09-07
Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: October 18, 2021
Nodding Lady's Tresses #41; RAB p. 346, 49-12-2; AG p. 501, 110-9
Photo by Ursula
Location: next to pond, Fleetville, NE Pa
Date: 2023-09-06
Photo by Ursula
Photo by Ursula
Location: Aberdeen, NC Pages Lake park
Date: October 13, 2022
Nodding Lady's Tresses #41; RAB p. 346, 49-12-2; AG p. 501, 110-9
Photo by Ursula
Photo by robertduval14
Location: Tennessee
courtesy Sunlight Gardens, www.sunlightgardens.com
Photo by Ursula

Photo courtesy of: Tom Potterfield
Photo by SongofJoy

Photo Courtesy of Shikoku Garden Inc.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Comments:
  • Posted by mellielong (Lutz, Florida - Zone 9b) on Apr 17, 2015 11:12 PM concerning plant:
    The book "How to Know the Wildflowers" (1922) by Mrs William Starr Dana says this orchid is found in great abundance in September and October. While the author notes that "botany relegates it to wet places," she has spotted it in dry upland pastures and low-lying swamps. She uses the common name of "Ladies' Tresses" but says the plant's former English name was actually "Ladies' Traces" due to a resemblance "between its twisted clusters and the lacings which played so important a part in the feminine toilet." She also says that in parts of New England, people call it "Wild Hyacinth."
  • Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Sep 4, 2013 10:53 AM concerning plant:
    A slender orchid with grasslike leaves up to 10 inches tall. Habitat is dry or moist woods, old fields, and prairies. Creamy-white flowers are slightly nodding and of half an inch in length with a light vanilla scent.
    Mid-western wildflower occasionally found in Illinois. Blooms August - October.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 15, 2012 9:30 AM concerning plant:
    Spiranthes cernua , or Nodding Ladies Tresses, grows in wet places along the southeastern coastal plain and down into Texas. It is one the few native orchids that is easy to grow in cultivation. Each plant forms a clump of shiny, dark green, 8 inch pointed leaves from which a 1.5 to 2 foot tall, cylindrical spike of flowers persists from late summer into fall. The flowers are densely arranged and are yellowish white, tinged green, and slightly scented like vanilla. This orchid seems to defy all "rules" about native orchids. It likes wet to moist, good soil and grows in sun or shade. It not only self-sows prolifically, but it is also stoloniferous and will therefore spread quickly. It is easy and seems not to need any inoculants or special fungi.
Plant Events from our members
MotherMycelium On February 17, 2021 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
WebTucker On October 18, 2021 Bloomed
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Discussion Threads about this plant
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Spiranthes cernua? by Ursula Sep 10, 2022 11:01 AM 1

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