ON THE WAYS OF ORCHID
Almost 200 species of orchids grow in Croatia. Unlike tropical orchids, which mostly grow as epiphytes on trees, orchids in the Earth's temperate zone grow exclusively on the ground.
Orchids have been studied in the Neretva region for many years, and as many as 30 species have been recorded so far! Take a walk through nature and discover the diversity and colorfulness of Neretva orchids! But don't forget that all orchids in Croatia are strictly protected species and it is forbidden to pick them. So keep them in your memory or capture their beauty with your camera.
In the footsteps of wild orchids
Terrain
Tags
Short-spurred sedge
Orchis spitzelii Saut. ex WDJ Koch
Orchis spitzelii Saut. ex WDJ Koch) A rare and endangered orchid species in the Croatian flora with the largest known
populations on the Pelješac peninsula. An Eastern Mediterranean species that grows
in open rocky habitats and edges of thickets and forests.
It blooms in April with purple dotted flowers. In the Neretva area it is
extremely rare – only one individual has been recorded in the Dragovija area.
Four-point hitch
Orchis quadripunctata Cirillo ex Ten
A Mediterranean orchid species with a rich, loose bloom of small pink flowers.
Honeysuckle is usually lighter in color, most often with four purple spots, which is how it got its name.
In Croatia it grows along the entire Adriatic coast.
In the Dragovija area, it is one of the most common species with populations numbering in the thousands.
It grows along roadsides, in clearings and in sparse macchia, and blooms during April and May.
Tinea pedis
Spotted tinea Neotinea maculata (Desf.) Stearn
A Mediterranean-Atlantic orchid species, in Croatia it grows along the coast and on the islands,
and is much more common in the southern Adriatic. The plant reaches a height of up to 30 centimeters with long
with dense inflorescence and small white-purple flowers. It grows throughout the Neretva region.
in cypress forests and rare macchia. In the Dragovija area, about 120
individuals that bloom during March and April.
Fragrant catnip
Fragrant Orchid Orchis coriophora L. ssp. fragrans (Pollini) K. Richt
A Mediterranean orchid that grows in sunny and dry habitats.
The long inflorescence contains several dozen small wine-red flowers.
which smell like vanilla. In the Dragovija area, about 40 individuals have been recorded that
They bloom from late April to mid-June in clearings and roadsides.
Black-and-red grebe
Black-red cactus Orchis ustulata L.
The species is widespread throughout Europe, and in Croatia mainly
in the western regions (Samobor Mountains, Gorski Kotar, Velebit, Istria),
while it is rarer in Dalmatia. It gets its name from its dark red to black helmets
which are most pronounced on the apical unopened flowers. Found in the area of Dragovija
There are about 40 individuals in sparse macchia and clearings, and they bloom in April and May.
Bertoloni's popcorn
Bertoloni's Popcorn Ophrys bertolonii Moretti
A Mediterranean species, very common along our coast and on the islands.
It grows on warm, sunny grasslands and sparse maquis.
As with other types of popcorn, the honey lip imitates its shape.
pollinating insects. It is saddle-shaped, covered with dense brown
with hairs with a blue mirror. It is a common species in the Dragovija area.
The population numbers 200 to 300 individuals, and they bloom during April and May.
Roberti's cottage
Barlia robertiana (Loisel.) Greuter
A powerful orchid with large fleshy ground leaves and stems
which reach up to 60 centimeters abounds in rich blooms. It grows exclusively
in the Dalmatia area. In the Neretva area there is a higher population, total
numbering about 80 individuals. It is the earliest blooming orchid in the Neretva area.
The first plants start to bloom in mid-January. It grows in sparse scrub, in clearings.
and along paths. The color of the flowers varies from purple to yellow.
Italian sausage
Italian orchid Orchis italica Poir
A typical Mediterranean orchid that grows almost exclusively in Croatia
in Dalmatia. The inflorescences are dense and contain many pink flowers.
The shape of the honey lip resembles the body of a human, hence the English name for this species.
In the Neretva area, it is one of the more common species, with a population of more than 1,000 individuals.
It grows along roads, in clearings and within the maquis. It blooms in April and May.
Bee popcorn
Bee Popcorn Ophrys apifera Huds
A Euro-Mediterranean orchid that grows in Croatia along the Adriatic coast.
coast and in northwestern Croatia. The loose inflorescence at the top of the stem contains
up to ten flowers whose honey lip imitates the appearance of a bee to attract pollinators.
It is very numerous in the Neretva area, with a population of around 1000 individuals. It most often grows
in olive groves, sparse macchia and along roads. It blooms from late April to early May.
Popcorn leaf wasp
Poppy leaf wasp Ophrys tenthredinifera Willd
A western Mediterranean orchid species that is extremely rare in Croatia
– known from only a few sites (Pelješac, Lastovo, Konavle, Čiovo).
Only one population of around 40 individuals has been recorded in the Neretva area.
in the Dubravica area, where it blooms during April and May. It is pollinated by the leaf wasp.
Bezoška
BezostruškaAceras anthropophorum (L.) W. T. Aiton