Small native orchid, striking flower colouring of purple-red spots on white flowers. Flowers in a short spike 15 mm wide, and 10 mm long. Lateral petals form a hood on top of the flower.
Grows in boreal forest in locations with good moisture, usually growing on sphagnum. Has one basal, oval-round, leaf with a leathery texture, typically 9 cm long and 5 cm wide.
We've encountered these plants in bloom mid-June, through July, in coniferous forest fens and bogs in many locations in Saskatchewan.
Plants in above photos grew to 22 cm tall.
Photos were taken June 22nd and July 8th in the boreal forest, about 350 km north of our home in Regina, SK.
I get preachy here: please don't dig up native orchids to try to grow them in your garden. They are becoming rare in the wild due to loss of habitat and wild harvesting. By all accounts they are also quite difficult to transplant successfully from the wild. If you want to grow them in your garden, there are nurseries who grow native orchids from seed who will sell plants to you.