Gymnadenia rubra / Nigritella rubra - Red Vanilla Orchid (Orchidaceae)

The Red Vanilla Orchid growing in Slovenia - picture
Marija Zupanc

Like its very close relative Gymnadenia nigra ssp rhellicani this orchid grows in the mid-European alpine zone and can be found in short grassland and alpine meadows between 1,600 and roughly 3,000 metres above sea level. It is less common than the Black Vanilla Orchid.

It grows in dry to slightly moist conditions in open sunny positions only on calcareous substrates. It flowers from mid-June to the middle of August.

The infloresence of Gymnadenia rubra is conical at first, becoming egg-shaped when all the flowers are open. The plant grows from 5 - 30cm in height and has between 7 and 12 leaves at the base of the stem and several further bract-like leaves growing up the stem to just below the flower.

Its territory in Europe extends from the Alps to the Carpathian mountains.

The specimen on this page whas photographed in Slovenia in July.