10 of the most beautiful orchids in Hungary

During the current hardships, lockdowns and social distancing guidelines that are the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us had to stay home, work from home, or take steps to be able to comply with some of the restrictions on our everyday life. Many of us started searching for new hobbies that we can enjoy, and that could take our attention away from problems. Some of us have ventured outdoors and started connecting to nature.

To be honest, this is what my sister did. She always loved hiking and taking long walks out in the forest, but thanks to her newly found free time, she was able to enjoy her hobby of ‘hunting down’ as many beautiful orchids in her vicinity as she could. Courtesy of her, I would like to introduce you to some of Hungary’s most beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, due to several reasons, a majority of which we humans caused, many of these delicate plants are highly endangered. I wanted to show you what Hungary, or in a broader sense, our world has to offer for us to find delight in. If we take care of nature, nature will continue to amaze and be there for us in hard times.

Bíboros kosbor – lady orchid (Orchis purpurea)

This particular flower can be found in most parts of Europe. The western border of its occurrence is France, Eastern Spain and Southwest England. It can grow as East as Denmark, through Northern Germany and the Crimean Peninsula, and it can even grow in Greece, Sicily, Crete. Of course, this implies that it grows in Hungary as well. It can grow in altitudes up to 2000 meters, in Hungary, it mainly grows on hillsides and low mountains.

The plant itself can grow between 30-100 centimetres tall, and it has broad and oblong leaves. Although it is not depicted in its English name, the Hungarian ‘bíbor’ refers to its purple colour on the top of the flower. The bottom part of the flower is white with purple dots over it. Unfortunately deers, rabbits and slugs are the greatest threat, but human activity (flower picking, agricultural expansion) is worrying as well. Although it is somewhat rare, it is only classified as ‘least concern’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. In Hungary, it can almost be found anywhere except for Nagy-Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain). It is a protected species in Hungary since 1982 and its existence or sentimental value is Ft 10,000 (€ 29).

Erdei papucskosbor or boldogasszony papucsa – lady’s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus)

In Europe, this is the largest species of orchid. It can grow up to 60 cm tall, but it is usually smaller with an average of about 20 cm tall. Its flowers can be as wide as 9 cm. Each shoot has only 1-2 flowers that vary in colour from reddish-brown to black, and it has a slipper-shaped labellum, hence its name, which is yellow with red dots on it. 

It is somewhat widespread. It can be found from Europe to Asia and from Spain to the Pacific. This includes almost every European state, Russia, Northeastern China and even Rebun Island in Japan. It is typically found in open woodlands, but in Europe, it can grow in semi-shaded woodlands. Its range has diminished in some areas of Europe, and although it is only least concern according to the IUCN Red List, it is legally protected in many countries, for example in the UK, Denmark, and it is highly protected Hungary. The sentimental value of one shoot in Hungary is Ft 250,000 (€ 715). Yet if you want to see it, you can find it in the Északi-középhegység (North Hungarian Mountains), mainly in Bükk, near Fertő-tó (Lake Fertő) and in the Bakony mountains.

Fehér madársisak – white helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium)

This orchid can be found in shady lowland forests that have little undergrowth. It is especially frequent under beech trees. It needs a well-drained soil above limestone or chalks to thrive.

The white helleborine grows all over Europe. It can be found from England to Sweden to Russia and Iran. Some specimens can be found in India and Myanmar, for example. It does not appear on IUCN’s Red List, and it is somewhat common in Hungary, but it is still under legal protection, and one shoot could infer a fine of Ft 10,000 (€ 29). If you like hiking and want to take some photos of this flower yourself, it can be found in Mecsek, Szigetköz in the Kőszegi-hegység (Kőszeg Mountains) and the Dunántúli-középhegység (Transdanubian Medium Mountains) or the Északi-középhegység (North Hungarian Mountains).

Légybangó – fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera)

This plant can reach 60cm in height, and you are still in luck, as it flowers between May and July, so you can still ‘hunt it down’ and take photos for yourself. One shoot can grow 1-10 flowers. The flowers have yellowish-green sepals. The dark petals of the flower resemble the antennae of an insect, and its labellum is dark from maroon to black, hence the name, as it pretty much resembles a fly.

This plant likes damp, alkaline soil and it can often be seen in beech woodlands, on forest edges and even on limestone grasslands. It is a native orchid to Europe, and it can grow higher up North than some other species. It can be found in Scandinavia, Finland and the Baltic states, but it grows as South as Greece and Spain. It is considered rare in the UK, it mainly grows on its Southern areas, and it is highly protected in Hungary as well. This orchid’s sentimental value is Ft 250,000 (€ 715). If you want to spot one, it is the most common in Bükk mountains in the Keszthelyi-hegység (Keszthely Mountains) and near Sopron.

Majomkosbor – monkey orchid (Orchis simia)

It is a greyish pink or almost reddish orchid. Its name comes from the fact that the lobed lips of the flower somewhat resembles a monkey’s body and limbs, to me, it looks kind of like a stick figure.

This orchid ranges from Central and Southern Europe. Southern England, the Mediterranean, Russia, Caucasus, Iraq and Iran and it can sometimes even be seen in parts of Northern Africa. It prefers grasslands, scrubs, or open woodlands where there is limestone soil. According to IUCN’s list, it is only least concern, but this species of orchid is threatened in Cyprus and is under protection in the UK as well. You will find it in Mecsek and Villányi-hegység (Villány Mountains), sometimes even in Balaton-felvidék (Balaton Uplands). In Hungary, if someone destroys it or digs it out, the fine is Ft 50,000 (€ 143).