site.btaFirst Wild Orchids Blooming in Eastern Rhodope Mountains

The first wild orchids have bloomed in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains, one of the richest areas in Bulgaria when it comes to orchid species. Many of the species there are on the endangered list, said Hristo Hristov, biodiversity expert and rewilding officer at Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation. In an interview for Bulgarian National Radio, he explained that the spring orchids will bloom until mid-June.

Among the first to have bloomed in Kardzhali Region are the lady orchid (Orchis purpurea) and  the monkey orchid (Orchis simia). The peak of blooming for most species is in May.

The Eastern Rhodopes, Strandzha, and Southwestern Bulgaria are the places with the biggest diversity of orchid species because of the two climate zones: nearly Mediterranean combined with continental climate at higher altitude. In the areas of Madzharovo and Ivaylovgrad alone, there are 46 species of wild orchids already registered, and new ones are found every year, Hristov said.

Among the most common species are the lady orchid, the monkey orchid, the law-flowered orchid (Orchis laxiflora), and the early spring orchid (Orchis pinetorum). The rarest species found in the Eastern Rhodopes is the Provence orchid (Orchis provincialis). Another rare species is the lady's-slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus). 

Hristov called on people to not pick wild flowers. They cannot be transplanted to grow at home because of their unique root system, which is a separate micro world with many species of microorganisms making the plant’s growth possible, the expert explained.