The bee orchid is one of the most beautiful ,rare and unusual terrestrial orchid found .

ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL ORCHID FLOWERS IN THE WORLD , ONE OF THE 6 Amazing Orchids That Look Just Like Animals < insects !
5 -6 BEE LOOKING FLOWERS ON A STEM !
This incredible orchid is called – can you guess? – the Bee Orchid ( Ophrys ORCHID) . It resembles a female bee visiting a pink flower to attract the attention of male bees. Thinking another one of their kind is there, they try to mate with it. In the process they get covered in the orchid’s pollen and end up spreading it around as they fly and pollinating other flowers as they go.



EASY GROWING,ALMOST NO CARE NEEDED!

Ophrys have a summer dormancy and during this time rely on the food reserves stored in the bulb to survive. In late autumn a new tuber begins to form and a rosette of leaves forms on the surface followed in late spring by the flower spike.It is hardy to zone 8 and also easy to grow in pots. The unusual flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.



Uses

Most commonly used for it's unusual ornamental values

Other uses > Root - cooked. It is a source of 'salep', a fine white to yellowish-white powder that is obtained by drying the tuber and grinding it into a powder. Salep is said to be very nutritious and is made into a drink or added to other cereals and used in bread etc. One ounce of salep is said to be enough to sustain a person for a day. The salep can also be made into a drink.


A terrestrial orchid up to 25 cm tall and each inflorescence carries between 2 and 8 large flowers. The plants often grow in groups. In bright sunshine the flowers are highly visible as the light reflects off the speculum in the centre of the lip – it is a bright iridescent purple/blue in colour and very glossy. The lip is three-lobed and bordered by a greenish-yellow border which is surrounded by a band of thick velvety hairs which are reddish brown. The sepals and petals are green and marked with violet spots or stripes.

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