FNPS Plant Database

Pogonia ophioglossoides

rose pogonia, snakemouth orchid
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

rose pogonia, snakemouth orchid

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Pogonia ophioglossoides

Family:

Orchidaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

0.5 ft tall by 0.25 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Bog garden. This is a very site-specific plant that will grow well in seepage settings. Typically grown with other specialists such as pitcher plants.

Considerations:

Will not do well in a general garden setting.

Availability:

Specialty Provider

Propagation:

Seed. Plants can be acquired from orchid specialty growers.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Usually moist, occasional inundation

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Organic

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Pollinated by bees.

Native Habitats:

Cutthroat seeps, dome swamp (edges), wet flatwoods (wet openings)

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

The range of this species includes much of eastern North America.  This orchid is found through much of Florida, especially north Florida.  



State Threatened.  Please acquire only from reputable sources.  

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Phillips, Thomas. (Undated). Plant of the Week: Rose Pogonia. ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/pogonia_ophioglossoides.shtml ). Accessed 2026. U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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