Giant Helleborine, Stream Orchid
Epipactis gigantea
Synonyms: Amesia gigantea, Epipactis gigantea f. citrina, Epipactis gigantea f. rubrifolia, Helleborine gigantea
The photo at right
shows the upright stem and numerous clasping leaves of the giant helleborine from
the author's garden in Gresham, OR.......June 1998.
Giant helleborine is a perennial wildflower with one to several erect stems arising from rhizomes. The stems are covered with numerous, sheathing leaves, and the stems arise from 30-120 cm in height. 5-7 leaves are commonly found along the stems. The lower leaves are reduced greatly in size, but become larger higher on the stem. With parallel venation, the leaves are about 7-14 cm long and 1.5-5 cm wide.
The 3-12 showy flowers form a raceme with all flowers turned to one side of the stem. The sepals are coppery-green with light brown venation. They range from 12-16 mm long. The petals are similar but thinner and with brownish-purple venation. The lower lip is 15-20 mm long with prominent, raised lines along the sac.
The gian helleborine is suitable for the front to middle portions of moist open to partly shaded gardens. It slowly spreads underground and sends up numerous erect stems bearing the brownish-purple flowers.
Giant helleborine is a plant of wet places and is found near springs, seeps, streambanks, and around the edges of lakes.
Range:
Giant helleborine is found from British Columbia south to Baja California, and east to the Rocky Mts.. It is found occasionally in Washington on both sides of the Cascade Mts.
