Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 06:26:53 PM

Title: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 06:26:53 PM: Hi all ,

not so far from my home near the river Rhine is a very nice area with many different orchis - sorry but I have no names ;D

enjoy
Hans
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 06:28:57 PM: :D
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 06:30:32 PM: :)
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Philippe on May 17, 2012, 06:46:32 PM: Pretty orchids! Did you see them at the Taubergiessen nature reserve?
I would say the first is Orchis simia, 2 and 3 ophrys apifera ( not sure, as they hybridise freely with each other), than on your second post probably ophrys aranifera in first, than anacamptis pyramidalis, and again ophrys species which were seen above.
In your last post the second pic is orchis ustulata, but no name for the third.
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 07:13:00 PM: Hi Phillip ,

thank you for the ID !
Yes - the pics are taken at Taubergießen :D

Hans
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Armin on May 17, 2012, 07:45:45 PM: Hans,
thanks for showing such rarities! I almost can't believe such beauties still grow in Germany!
Unfortunately, many meadows are already cut now. It is so stupid. No chances for orchids and other flowers.
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 09:34:59 PM: Quote from: Armin on May 17, 2012, 07:45:45 PM
Hans,
thanks for showing such rarities! I almost can't believe such beauties still grow in Germany!
Unfortunately, many meadows are already cut now. It is so stupid. No chances for orchids and other flowers.

Armin ,
thank you for your interest !
I know this area since more than 30 years ...it is fantastic !
The problem is not to cut the meadow ...( the farmer must cut otherwise bushes comes up ) the problem is any fertilizer !

Hans
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 09:41:07 PM: Here are some earlier pics from this area :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1786.msg44966#msg44966 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1786.msg44966#msg44966)
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Lesley Cox on May 17, 2012, 11:21:09 PM: Lovely pictures Hans and what a treat to have the insecty Ophrys species nearby. I remember in Greece some years ago, farmers were paid by the EU not to graze or mow some fields, so that the native orchids could flourish. It would be a great shame if Greece's doubtful future in the Eurozone were to change this.
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Armin on May 18, 2012, 08:20:10 AM: Quote from: Hans J on May 17, 2012, 09:34:59 PM
Armin ,thank you for your interest !
I know this area since more than 30 years ...it is fantastic !
The problem is not to cut the meadow ...( the farmer must cut otherwise bushes comes up ) the problem is any fertilizer !
Hans

Hans,
you are right, I agree! Fertilizing meadows with liquid manure or similar is deadly for orchids. And cutting once a year is a must.
My serious concern is that cutting too early & too often does not allow annual flowers to produce seed in order to reproduce.
As a result they disappear within a couple of years.

I just noticed - I was already quite close to Taubergießen... Visited Europapark Rust with my family but did not know it is just behind. Pity. Maybe next time.
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Tony Willis on May 18, 2012, 08:24:14 AM: Hans

what a wonderful area,you are a lucky man having it so close to home. I enjoyed looking at the previous posting again,great flowers.
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 18, 2012, 09:03:01 AM: Thank you Lesley ,Tony :)

Hans
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Pauli on May 18, 2012, 10:29:37 AM: Hello Hans,

I am quite sure, that the first plant on your first post is Orchis militaris, not the extremely rare (at least in Germany) O. simia. O simia is easy to recognize, because it opens its flowers from top to bottom.
The next two Ophrys should be variants of Ophrys holosericea (=fuciflora).
The first of your second series is Ophrys sphegodes, the last one is in my opinion a hybrid!
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 18, 2012, 12:53:02 PM: Hello Herbert ,

many thanks ;D

Hans
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Olga Bondareva on May 20, 2012, 08:05:36 PM: Hans,
Many times I saw Ophris on pictures but never in nature. And they are not hardy enough to grow them here. :-\ Thank you for showing those pretty orchids! So many different kinds!
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 20, 2012, 08:14:20 PM: Hi Olga ,

I'm glad that you like my pics :D
It is my pleasure to share it with my plantfriends !

Hans
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: angie on May 23, 2012, 12:23:09 PM: Hi Hans, just had a look at these delightful orchids, aren't they beautiful.
My mum always said to me before I die I must go and take a trip along the Rhine, she said it is a wonderful place and there are fairytale castles. I better do this before age or death prevents me from seeing what she always thought would be worth seeing.
Nice of you showing us these wonderful plants, looking forward to your next trip which will be somewhere nice I bet.

Angie :)
Title: Re: Orchids near the river Rhine
Post by: Hans J on May 23, 2012, 08:22:29 PM: Hi Angie ,

thank you for your friendly words :)
We no castles here near the river Rhine in my area ....but a lot in our surrounding ( special in Elsass/ France )
Also we have more places with orchids ...if possibly I will visit

Hans