Ophrys apifera
Ophrys apifera
FamilyGenus: Ragwurzennative in Germany
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1
Species
interact
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2
Interactions
documented
About this species
Ophrys apifera, a native herbaceous orchid of calcareous, nutrient-poor soils in Great Britain, reaches about 24 cm in height and flowers from May to June.
Ecological network
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Pollination
Ecological significance
As a native orchid of nutrient-poor calcareous habitats, Ophrys apifera depends on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for germination and nutrition, linking it to undisturbed soil communities.
Annual cycle
Flowers from May to June.
Safety note
No known hazards.
Standort & Merkmale
Light
Sonne
Moisture
Frisch (Mäßig feucht)
Soil
Schwachzehrer (Magerer Boden)
Flowering period
Mai – Jun
Soil reaction
Basisch / Kalkhold
Bioregion
Continental
Growth form
Krautige Pflanze
Woodiness
Nicht verholzt
Leaf type
Breitblättrig
Plant height
0.239 m
Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)
Pflege & Anbau
Grow in full sun. Use well-drained, calcareous, low-nutrient soil kept moderately moist during the growing season. Avoid any salt exposure and protect the root zone from disturbance. Compatible arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil are critical for establishment and long-term health.
Scientific profile
A terrestrial orchid that reaches about 24 cm in height, with broad leaves and a non-woody structure. It prefers full sun, moderately moist, calcareous, nutrient-poor soils and tolerates only minimal disturbance. It shows a strong preference for base-rich conditions and no salinity tolerance. Flowering occurs from May to June. The species forms arbuscular mycorrhizal associations essential for nutrient uptake in these settings. It is native in Great Britain, occurring in low-nutrient calcareous habitats.
Sources & data origin
•Interaktionsdaten via GloBI (CC-BY 4.0)
•FloraWeb / BfN
•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)
•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)
•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)
•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)
•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)
•Foto: © Adobe Stock / AdobeStock_658865035
All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →