There are more than fifty species of Wild Orchids in Andalucia that are endemic to the region, some of which are quite rare but many are increasingly common and very beautiful and distinctive.
These gorgeous wild flowers vary greatly in size, shape, colour and exoticness. The smallest is the compact Milky Orchid which usually grows to a height of around 17 cm and the tallest, the Lizard Orchid grows to around 90cm tall.
Most orchids are multi headed flowers compact, but their main feature is the enlarged petal or sepal which looks like a lip and is used by insects as a landing area. This lip often looks like the particular insect it wants to attract for example the Bee Orchid is very like-life and bees have been seen trying to mate with it.
Their flowering time begins in early February when the Fan-Lipped and Milky orchids begin to show their colours. March and April provide more bursts of colour as the other varieties flower and up until mid-May or when the real heat begins the last one to flower The Pink Butterfly Orchid is the last and one of the most beautiful.
The Most Common Orchids in Andalucia The ones that youre most likely to encounter while out walking are: Mirror Orchid ophrys speculum Monkey Orchid orchis simia Pink Butterfly Orchid orchis papilionacea Sawfly Orchid orchis tenthredinifera Sombre Bee Orchid ophrys fusca Spotted Orchid dactylorhiza maculata Mirror Orchid orchis simia Monkey Orchid orchis simia Toothed Orchid orchis tridentata
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