Exploring Florida’s Natives: Grass Pink Orchids

Orchids are often beloved for their variety of beautiful, colorful blooms and dainty appearance. The most common are considered epiphytes, meaning their roots get moisture from the atmosphere instead of the soil. That is why most orchids are potted with ‘orchid media’ and not soil. Orchid media is necessary for epiphyte orchids because it is made of materials like bark, perlite, and moss, etc. These components allow airflow to reach the roots, so that they get moisture from the atmosphere without being suffocated. Orchids can be challenging for gardeners and plant enthusiasts.

However, there are orchids that can grow in soil and even aquatic orchids that can live in water. Orchids that live in soil are called terrestrial orchids. Grass pink orchids, for example, are terrestrial.

Growing Conditions and Characteristics

Grass pinks are known as “Beautiful Beard” orchids. This name comes from their genus name Calopogon, which comes from Greek and means “beautiful beard.” This term refers to the hair-like structures on the flower petals. Grass pinks are a species of orchid with 5 subspecies in North America. Four of the five subspecies are native to Florida:

Calopogon tuberosus (Tuberous Grass Pink)
The Calopogon multiflorus (Many-flowered Grass Pink)
The Calopogon pallidus (Pale Grass Pink)
The Calopogon barbatus (Beaded Grass Pink)

These orchids thrive in Florida’s hot and humid climate, often growing in meadows, flatwoods and prairies in the wild. The flowers range in color from light pink to magenta, and more rarely, white. They bloom from late spring to early summer. These orchids are terrestrial and can be planted right into the ground and thrive in sandy moist to wet soil conditions. . Grass pinks grow best in full to partial sun.

A bright magenta orchid flower stands out against green foliage growing in the Earch — Grass pinks (genus Calopogon). Credit: UF/IFAS

Why Plant Native Species?

Choosing native plants, like grass pinks, contributes to the ecological health of Florida’s landscapes. Of the native orchid species in Florida, several are considered endangered or threatened. A few endangered orchids are the ghost orchid, the cigar orchid, and the grass pink species Calopogon tuberosus. Native species support local wildlife by providing food and habitat, while also requiring less water and maintenance compared to non-native plants. This is especially important in Florida, where invasive species can disrupt natural ecosystems. Remember, you cannot collect endangered species from the wild.

Invasive species, like the Chinese Crown Orchid (Eulophia graminea), are native to tropical and subtropical regions in Asia. This terrestrial orchid has spread throughout Florida invades natural habitats like rockland hammock, pine rockland habitats, maritime hammock, pine flatwood, costal strand, and cypress strand on the mainland. This plant has a caution rating in North, Central, and South Florida from the UF IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas.

Have a question?

If you have any questions about gardening in Central Florida, please contact UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County at 352-518-0156. For more information on UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County Community Gardens, and how you can join one, visit http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/pasco/. Supervising Authors: Dr. Whitney Elmore and Jim Moll

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Growing Conditions and Characteristics

Why Plant Native Species?

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