Autumn Lady's Tresses is a small orchid that grows in grassy open meadows in Europe, Africa and Asia. It is a tuberous herbaceous perennial that goes dormant in June or July. In late summer a flowering stalk appears with small white flowers spiraling around it. 1 or 2 rosettes of leaves follow shortly after and live through the winter and spring. The tubers can take several years before producing above-ground leaves and another 3 years before blooming. It may only bloom every 2-3 years and if conditions are unfavorable may produce no above-ground parts at all. This plant generally is found in unfertile grasslands in arid rocky areas and prefers fulls sun. It is considered threatened in some areas of its native habitat. This is not a plant you are likely to find for sale or would use in a garden.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Growth rate
Slow
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are in a rosette of four to five pointed, sessile, ovate leaves 1-1.5 inches long and .5 inch wide.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Tubular; Urn
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Hooded flowers appear in late summer and spiral around a 4-6 inch stem. Each .25 inch flower is white with a green spot on the lower lip and a frilly edge.
Bloom time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Oval capsules with many small seeds
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Grayish green stem with short transparent glandular hairs on the upper parts.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe, north Africa, western Asia
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Winter
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area
Garden tags
#HS302 #dry soils tolerant #naturalized area #white flowers #orchid #fall flowers #tuberous #full sun tolerant #gray-green leaves #meadow