A warm, sunny, spring day and suddenly there are lots of purple Wax-lip Orchids, Glossodia major, in varying shades of colour to see.
Wax-lip Orchid (image: Neil Tucker)
They are probably the most abundant of our spring orchids and grow in a variety of habitats.
White Wax-lip Orchid (image: Wendy Crebbin)
They can hybridise with the Bluebeard Orchid, Pheladenia deformis, to form the very rare Hybrid Wax-lip Orchid, x Glossadenia tutelata, so look carefully at the flowers. The hybrid flower lacks the white lip of the Wax-lip Orchid. It would be exciting to find one. Lots of other beautiful orchids are starting to flower too, so it is a great time to explore.
Alison Watson