Diario del proyecto Orchids of Western Montana

Hi All, getting closer to orchid season here in Western Montana, by the middle of May I'll be out hunting for Fairy slippers up on Tin Cup Creek near where I live in Darby MT. Last year I found the first blooms on 5/29/2023.
Hope to do the trip to Sun River on the Rocky Mt Front west of Augusta MT, its near Gibson Reservoir. If you're interested in joining expedition to do an orchid hunt/photo shoot let me know. There are a couple of other area's that should be good hunts such as Swan River Valley south of Glacier Nat Park it's one of the best areas in Montana to hunt for orchids and around St Regis MT for Clustered Lady's-slipper - Cypripedium fasciculatum it's been reported at several sites in the area.

Hi All, I've been thinking about places to go orchid hunting and have some ideas. I'm working on a photographic collection of Montana orchids and planning a couple of 3-4 day trips here in Western Montana, some of the places in mind are, Superior Montana to hunt for Cypripedium fasciculatum and other orchids , "Going to the Sun" a Rocky Mountain Front orchid hunt for Cypripedium x columbianum, Listera borealis, Coeloglossum viride and many others. Another site is near Swan Lake and Sixmile Trail in the Swan Valley of Montana. Anyone that is interested in going on an orchid expedition stay tuned. I'm going to put together info on camping and other interesting stuff about other plants that my be found.
May be going back to Oregon again this year I hope to time it for some orchid hunting, maybe look for some phantom orchids.
If anyone has ideas or thoughts on orchid hunting in 2024 lets talk.

Well after reviewing it turns out to be Slender Bog Orchid, you learn sometihing everday.
So hopfully the spring will bring good orchid hunting and good times with friends.

Ken

I think I've ID'ed another orchid species from photos taken along dam creek lake road, Northern Green Orchid - Platanthera aquilonis I'll post observation and let me know. Another LGO

Hi All, Well time to settle in for Fall and Winter here in the Rocky Mt's it will be long and cold, but there will be a reward when it ends and spring arrives it will bring the orchids back. So I will cataloging my photos and set up for more serious study of Calypso and Cypripedium, detailed inventory and data collection. I will post the results for all.
Ken

Not to bad a found list, many old friends and a couple of new ones*
A fun season all in all. Made it to ShooFly Meadows in Missoula County found the Dense flowered rien pipeera. A lot of good photos.

Alaska Rein Orchid - Piperia unalascensis
*Broad-leaved Twayblade - Listera convallarioides
*Dense-flower Rein Orchid - Piperia elongata
*Early Coralroot - Corallorhiza trifida
Fairy Slipper - Calypso bulbosa var. occidentalis
Fairy Slipper - Calypso bulbosa var. americana
Giant Rattlesnake-plantain - Goodyera oblongifolia
Hooded Ladies'-tresses - Spiranthes romanzoffiana
Merten's Coralroot - Corallorhiza mertensiana
Mountain Lady's-slipper - Cypripedium montanum
*Northern Green Orchid - Platanthera aquilonis
Slender Bog Orchid - Platanthera stricta
Spotted Coralroot - Corallorhiza maculata
White Bog Orchid - Platanthera dilatata

Orchid season is coming to a close, its been a good year for orchid hunting. Found a couple of new species (new to me) Today I found Piperia elongata growing along road headed for Shoofly Meadows in Missoula County. got some good photos.

Hi All, well its been a great year for plant hunting, did not make it to Swan Valley yet but may make a run to Twin Bridges MT to hunt for Spiranthes diluvialis I've never seen this species before so I hope to get some great photo's to go with the Spiranthes romanzoffiana I got last week.
Hope to really get some great shots of Goodyera oblongifolia in bloom, last year I found quit a few large colonies with many old stocks so I'll be returning to them and set up for macro and video.
Stay Tuned
Ken

Hi All, be out to a site here in the Bitterroot Valley to take photo's of the plant life and low and behold Round leaf Sundew-Drosera rotundifoila was found. Several hundred plants in just a few sq meters. So I've been out taking photos of sundews not orchids, but I was looking for them.
I have another site to check on Lost Trail Pass between ID MT its also a site for twayblade and sundew.

Ken

Hi All, still hunt'en still finding. I've had good luck finding some nice specimens like Early Coralroot - Corallorhiza trifida and Broad-leaved Twayblade - Listera convallarioides also some other great species photographed was Roundleaf Sundew -Drosera rotundifolia found a large population in a very specieal place that I plan to study and photograph a lot more.
Ken