Ron left a comment on yesterday’s post about the wood anemone. He asked if my wild rosebud orchid was still growing and blooming.
Back in 2017 the amazing orchid came up in the edge of the woods. Here’s what I wrote about it.
This year I have made a conscious effort to try and be in the woods more. I wish that meant I had been on long hikes to the top of the mountain and beyond, but mostly what I’ve managed to do is take one of the trails that lead off behind the chicken coop and go a few hundred yards into the woods or up towards the ridge.
On one of my short trips I noticed a strange looking plant that I had never seen before. It was thin and tapered. I could tell it’s length was about to burst open with leaves and hopefully a bloom.
A few weeks later I suddenly remembered the plant and ran out to see if it had indeed opened up into a flower-it had!
The bloom was so pretty and I didn’t think I had ever seen one like it. I racked my brain thinking maybe it was something I had once planted in the yard that had somehow migrated to the woods, but decided I would certainly have remembered having a flower that pretty in my collection.
After I discovered the beautiful flower, Katie asked about it in group she belonged to and we discovered it was a rosebud orchid.
The book Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachian Mountains has this to say about the flower:
“The smaller rosebud orchid blooms in early June in the southern part of the mountains but can be fresh in northern West Virginia as late as the first part of July. Restricted to the southeastern United States, smaller rosebud orchid is very sparse throughout the southern Appalachians. It occurs at a few sites in eastern Kentucky as well as some scattered locations on the Cumberland Plateau and in the eastern mountains of Tennessee. It is infrequent in the North Carolina and Virginia mountains. And there are only two recorded sites for smaller rosebud orchid in the area of West Virginia covered by this book, one in Barbour County and one dating from 1968 in McDowell County.”
Katie and I both visited the flower almost every day the summer I found it.
We couldn’t wait till the following summer to see if it came up again, but it didn’t and it hasn’t come back since then. I keep a good eye out, but I’m glad Ron reminded me because I haven’t looked for it this year.
Last night’s video: Pork Belly Breakfast in Appalachia.
Tipper
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Ah, those things! They grew everywhere on the side of our hill. I’d pick them and make lil’ bouquets out of ’em, or feed them to my chickens if they grew in places they weren’t supposed to. I remember Mom or Dad telling me you’d get chiggers if you touched them and weren’t careful, but I don’t know how true that is. By far I got the most chiggers if I hung around blackberry bushes and didn’t immediately change my clothes afterwards.
It’s strange living in an area where most of these wildflowers don’t exist. No fleabane, no lady slippers, no Joe Pye weed or ironweed that I’m aware of (I stand corrected; they do sell ironweed and Joe Pye here! They just aren’t native as far as I know!) They do have goldenrod and wild irises and sparse amounts of chicory and buttercup, but so many of the wildflowers are different. Fair enough I suppose, if you’re an ocean away. At least they have those in jolly ol’ England; I’d miss my goldenrod and daylillies. One day if I’m ever blessed with a garden of my own I’d like to have all of those, plus a red bud, a black walnut, and an American dogwood. Have my own little slice of Appalachia here.
I read about all y’alls maladies, and I pray Jesus cares for you all and brings you comfort. It makes me sad so much cancer is going around, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. At least we have our heavenly Father to lean on, in both good times and bad. I pray for miracles to happen in Jesus’s name; I can’t guarantee it’s the Fathers will or not, but prayer is a powerful thing and I’ve seen them happen before. I wish y’all well, and hope you have a wonderful day. God bless.
This is truly a special, beautiful and godly community. It is an honor to be part of it. I am lifting all of these prayer requests before the Lord today. Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing them.
I agree with you, Allie! I believe God is honored and welcomed here. Truly a blessed place!
I will share all of your prayers with my cousin! I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of everyone here in our Blind Pig community! You truly touch my heart! God bless all y’all!
Our family has been bogged down with needs in the last two months. My brother in law is doing fairly well since he started treatment for his Lymphoma. His pain is more tolerable. His too is not curable. My cousin in Ky is doing pretty good from kidney cancer. They said he will never be cured but they are just holding it back. My aunt just started treatment today for bladder cancer. She has never smoked and doctors state it is typically found in smokers. My husband’s uncle is getting ready for surgery as they found cancer in his prostate. He pastors a church in Bowling Green Ky. I know there are seasons with trials and I know God is above all things; He is good and His mercy endures forever. We have many, many praying and believe God will answer according to His will. Blakely is the hardest for us as she is so young, but she tells everyone the Lord is with her. Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart
This really gets to me, I realize just how small/insignificant my problems are when compared to other people’s problems. I can’t image the death diagnosis of a young child. I just learned a friend and a rabbit hunting partner has been told he has kidney cancer, too early to tell the full diagnosis. I will be praying for you and your loved ones.
Thank you for sharing the beautiful orchid story ! I love it !
Praying for all !
Debbie, I am so very sorry about B. I pray for her & your entire family as you navigate through this most difficult time. If she must go for now, I know the good Lord & his angels will wrap their arms around her & welcome her with a great celebration of perfect health & everlasting life. The wait is hard, but you will see her again. A friend from Mississippi
Thank you! Yes, I agree ! God is good!
Beautiful orchid! I do hope it comes up again.
Debbie, I will be praying for little B. So sorry to hear this news.
Thank you!
Such a beautiful flower but odd it should come up and bloom that one year and then no more. I read your comment that it is ‘sparse throughout southern Appalachia’ but since you saw it that one year, one would think maybe there are a few more – has it been found/seen in any other part of your area Tipper?
Not that I know of 🙂
Praying for Blakely, to see a child so sick is one of the hardest things to watch in life. I pray that God works through all her Doctors, caregivers, Nurses and P.A. For a healing no one knows truly when your time is coming to go home, but God himself there is always room a miracle. God bless Blakely and keep her pain to a minimum. Blessings to all.
Tipper that is a beautiful flower. I have never saw one like that before. I hope you find them again. God bless you Tipper and everyone especially people needing help and prayers.
I agree, the bigger the mountain the greater the miracle! He is God of the mountain as well as the valley! Thank you!
The orchid is beautiful, as all wildflowers are. My brother-in-law found a deep orange and black spotted flower that resembled a lily growing in the woods while he was turkey hunting a few years ago. He said there was a large area that was covered with them, making me wonder if a house once stood at that location. He dug a few for me to transplant, and they multiplied and came back two years later, then they just disappeared. I hope your orchid reappears.
Debbie, my heart breaks for B’s family. Still praying for a miracle.
Thank you! God bless you!
Good morning, Tipper and Acorns. What a gorgeous Orchid. I constantly look for Orchids in the woods behind the house. So far, I’ve seen none but there is always hope. I loved yesterday’s video. I keep everyone here and up Wilson Holler in my prayers. TY all so much for your prayers for my son and me. Vrothers and Sisters in faith, hope and love mean so much in this world. I love y’all.
My hubby found a pink lady slipper orchid in our woods many years ago. It was beautiful. It disappeared and has not been seen for years now. I am so sorry about Little B. It’s extra sad when it’s a child. I am praying for her and her family.
Thank you, Brenda! God bless!
Tipper! I ran into a store yesterday after a Dr’s appointment, that’s known for beautiful things for your home and also lovely silk flowers for cemetery decor. I was gathering spring/summer pretties for my loved ones. On the way in, there were tons of perennial flower offerings in gallon pots. I looked them all over but resisted! At the entrance there were many offerings of 4 pack annuals and some vegetables/herbs. There, before my eyes, were Cherokee Purple tomato plants!!!! I have some on request, coming from a local garden club and it’s too early here in west central IL…but I couldn’t leave without a plant. I will do Matt proud by making a mater sandwich later this summer 😀 I’m very excited about growing my first crop of CPs! Keeping Pappaw Tony in my thoughts ♡
I hope you enjoy the tomatoes!
♪ ♫ Wildwood Flower ♫ ♪
I’d love to hear Paul’s version/cover.
rattlesnakes are crawling, saw one dead yesterday my neighbor’s driveway, it is small, but they are born with venom, the neighbor cleared some on his property and created a big brush pile, several dump truck loads, but after all winter under the power line, it has made a nice den for snakes, I’m almost afraid to go outside, God help, God bless you friends have a great day
That is such a pretty flower! We have wild orchids around here, but they’re rare. I’ve seen 1 once in my walks in the woods. Hopefully it will come back sometime, but I wonder if the flower goes to seed or spread by bulbs/rhizomes? I’ll have to look it up and see what info I can find out online.
So beautiful! I hope you find it again! The thimbleweed you showed yesterday was pretty too.
The family received devastating news on Tuesday about B. The tumor has moved to the front lobe of her brain. She has a few months and they have suggested hospice. It is a very rare type called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. I would ask continued prayers for a miracle if it’s God’s will and prayers for her family. God is good and we give Him all praise!
I’m so sorry! I will keep praying for her and her family.
Certainly, I will pray for B and all involved. My SIL, who turns 40 today, is battling Esophageal cancer that had spread to his brain. His initial diagnosis was grim (maybe two months, they said). He wasn’t sick at all and had zero symptoms. He had gone for bloodwork (thought he had sinus trouble and did) when the test revealed his white cell count was high and that is what alarmed the doctor. This was in October. He has undergone brain surgery about three Wednesdays ago and that following Sunday he walked on my porch. He had a baseball size tumor on his left frontal lobe. The surgeons removed 85% and that was the goal . They plan to radiate that and another small tumor on his brain. He was on Chemo treatment #8 of 12 when they discovered the brain tumor. It was the Esophageal as well. He had a large tumor in his Esophagus and it is now gone. His body is responding to the Chemo well. Has an appointment at UAB for a new liver cancer procedure. That sounds promising too. He did not have any of the nasty side effects of the brain surgery (memory problems, dizziness, speech or other motor functions). He has never smoked, drank, dipped, or chewed. He didn’t take the jab either. Like you Debbie, we are praying for a miracle. We’ve seen them before. I was sick for about a year and had a full liver transplant during COVID (4 times I had it the China virus and the docs wanted to blame it for the liver failure. I believe cholesterol medication was a key factor). I had literally thousands of people praying for me, and in God’s time and through His will, I was able to walk about three miles chasing turkeys in some very rugged country this morning. Sorry to be so long, but I know the value of positive input and the power of prayer. Please pray for Heath Lewis as well.
I’m so sorry. I will pray for him.
Jeffrey, I’m praying with you for his miracle! He’s been through a lot in such a short time. May the Lord bring him a great healing and may he share his testimony with everyone around him!
I’m so sorry to hear this about little B. We will keep praying for her. Thank you for the update, Debbie.
Thank you! God bless you!
heavenly Father in the name of Jesus, today I pray for this person, bless them Lord with deliverance from this sickness and disease, heal their body Lord, make them well in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and savior, Amen
Thank you for the beautiful prayer, Norman! God bless you!
Debbie, I’m so sorry to hear the latest about Blakely. She has been in my prayers and will continue to be, along with you and her family as well. God bless you all with His Strength and Devine Mercy.
Thank you! God bless you!
A child suffering is truly heartbreaking. Keeping Little B and her family in my thoughts and prayers ♡
Thank you! God bless you!