Broad-leaved Helleborine
Epipactis helleborine
non-native
Other Names:
Bastard Hellebore, Broadleaf Helleborine, Helleborine Orchid, Chatterbox
Broad-leaved Helleborine is a non-native orchid from central Europe which was brought to the United States during the 1800s. It spreads aggressively and is considered an invasive weed in some states. It is found in Northern Virginia, but in only a handful of other counties in the rest of the state. The word "orchid" is derived from the Greek word orchis, which means "testicle", because that is what the Greeks thought an orchid root looked like. A similar derivation is for the word "avocado", which come from the Aztec word for testicle ahuakatl, because of the resemblance of the fruit rather than the root.
Identification Tools
Friends of the Wildflower Garden
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States
Go Botany
Michigan State University Extension
North American Orchid Conservation Center
Ranges
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