About Spiranthes odorata (Nutt.) Lindl.
Spiranthes odorata, commonly known as marsh lady's tresses or common lady's tresses, is a flowering plant species in the orchid family. It is native to the southeastern United States, ranging from Texas east and north to Delaware. It grows in moist, partially shaded environments with acidic or neutral soil. This herbaceous perennial orchid reaches up to 50 cm (20 in) tall and broad. Flowers are produced in dense vertical rows on sturdy green spikes, arranged in a slightly twisted pattern; this twisted arrangement gives the genus its name Spiranthes, meaning "twisted flower", and the trait is caused by uneven cell growth. Blooming in late summer and autumn, the flowers are white, hooded, and fragrant, which is the source of the specific epithet odorata. This plant is pollinated by bumblebees, specifically Bombus pensylvanicus, Bombus fervidus, Bombus impatiens, and Bombus nevadensis. In the United Kingdom, the cultivar 'Chadd's Ford' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It requires fertile soil in partial shade, and is hardy to temperatures as low as −10 °C (14 °F), but needs a dry winter mulch in regions with frosty conditions. Botanically, the plant treated as Spiranthes odorata here is actually a separate species called Spiranthes bightensis.
