Orchid

Two of the orchids found in the New Forest grow on the edge of the heath: the common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) and the heath spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata). Both are quite common and look very similar, with varying amounts of brown spots on their leaves and spikes of white to pink-purple flowers produced between June and August. The common spotted orchid is the taller of the two species.

The southern marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa)  and early marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata sub-species pulchella)  grow in areas of the forest where heathland turns into wetland.

The New Forest has the second largest concentration of the bog orchid (Hammarbya paludosa) populations in western Europe, following the West Highlands of Scotland. This plant needs acidic water conditions to thrive and elsewhere in southern England the populations have been severely affected by drainage work. It is yellow-green in colour and at just 3-12cm high is very small and difficult to see.