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Native Plant Database

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Corallorhiza trifida (Early coralroot)
McAdoo, David R.

Corallorhiza trifida Chatelain

Early Coralroot, Yellow coralroot

Orchidaceae (Orchid Family)

USDA Symbol: cotr18

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Several or many erect, pale yellowish or greenish, nearly leafless stems in a clump, each stem with a raceme of small, bilaterally symmetrical flowers the same color as stem except for white lower lip.

Of all the coral roots, this small pale species is perhaps the least showy. It is also found in Eurasia.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Red , Yellow , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , CO , CT , ID , IL , IN , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MT , ND , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , SD , UT , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE
Native Distribution: Alaska south and east to Labrador, and south in West to Washington, northeastern Oregon, northern Sierra Nevada, central Utah, and Colorado; also in northern portion of eastern United States.
Native Habitat: Moist woods from moderate to high elevations.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N), GL(N), SPM(N)

Growing Conditions

Soil Moisture: Moist
Conditions Comments: Tends to form large clumps and extensive colonies.† It is a species that occurs around the world in the Boreal and Mixed Forest Regions and adjacent regions of the Deciduous Forests and Tundra. (Andy Fyon)

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Weird-looking rootless plant, perhaps a fungus
August 23, 2008
While out it my backyard (i.e. the Black Hills of South Dakota), I spotted a weird-looking rootless plant (I think it may be a fungus) growing beneath the Ponderosa Pines. It was the only one in the a...
view the full question and answer

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Corallorhiza trifida in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Corallorhiza trifida in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Corallorhiza trifida

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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