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This is the orchid of 2025
Updated 10/19/2024Reading time: 1 min.
With the orchid of the year award, experts want to draw attention to the endangerment of these plants and their habitats. This year they chose a particularly fragrant one.
It spreads a delicate scent that is perceived more intensively, especially in the evening hours: The greenish forest hyacinth is the orchid of the year 2025. During their annual meeting in Arnstadt, Thuringia, the local orchid working groups decided on the plant, which grows up to 60 centimeters high and up to Can bear 30 white-greenish flowers. According to the working groups, it is widespread throughout Germany, although occurrences in eastern Germany are tending to decline, as a spokeswoman said.
The greenish forest hyacinth (Platanthera chlorantha) is one of around 80 orchid species in Germany. According to experts, it prefers open deciduous and mixed forests, including open spruce and pine forests. It can also be found on poor grassland and litter meadows. Depending on the altitude, the plant blooms from mid-May to July. Its scent earned it the suffix hyacinth. At dusk it attracts nocturnal butterflies such as owls and hawkmoths, which suck nectar from the flowers and at the same time ensure pollination.
By choosing the orchid of the year, the Native Orchid Working Groups want to draw attention to the endangerment of these species and their habitats. The greenish forest hyacinth, for example, depends on calcareous, moist locations. However, drainage measures affected grassland and forest areas. Added to this are the effects of climate change, especially dry summers.
