Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
.jpg){kind=link}
Pruning guide · Herbaceous plant
Lesser butterfly-orchid: when and how to prune
Platanthera bifolia
Lesser butterfly-orchid is best pruned in August–September.
| Pruning months | August–September |
|---|---|
| Flowering | May–July |
| Native to Belgium | Yes |
Lesser butterfly-orchid: when to prune it?
From mid-August or in September, after seed set, together with the meadow.
Lesser butterfly-orchid: how to prune it?
- Only mow once the seed capsules are brown and open, so that the dust-like seed can blow away.
- Remove the cuttings so that the soil stays poor.
- Never cut flowering stems for a vase: the plant needs its leaves and flowers to build up next year’s tuber.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: August–September.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- As a native plant, it feeds more insects than a non-native species.
Caution: Do not mow between April and the end of July: you would cut off leaves and flowers, and the new tuber could not develop properly.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Lesser butterfly-orchid · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.