NAKED MAN ORCHID - Orchis Italica

Naked Man Orchid - Orchis Italica

At first glance the naked man orchid - Orchis italica, does not appear to deserve its rather cheeky common name. Native to the Mediterranean, this species of orchid looks like many other European orchids with its bright pink, densely clustered flowers. However, bend down and take a closer look and you may not quite believe what you are seeing. Why? Because each individual flower looks remarkably like a naked man in all his glory.

Naked Man Orchid - Orchis Italica

Given the right conditions, the naked man orchid plan will appear in large clusters in the spring, flowering from late March to April. The flowers borne in a dense spike approximately 20 inches in height and can vary in colour from white to dark pink. They sometimes have darker spots on the lip and the hood has dark pink veins. It prefers to grow in a  low nutrient soil partial shade.

Like most plants whose shape give indications of organs or parts of the body that can be healed, this one is no different. Since Roman times, it has been used as a treatment for men's virility as an aphrodisiac.

Luckily the naked man orchid is edible, in fact its tuberous root is particularly nutritious and can be made into a flour similar to arrowroot, known as salep. It’s used predominantly in Turkey in desserts and beverages however its popularity caused the naked man orchid to become a victim of its own success. Without sustainably grown populations, wild plants have been collected for centuries and in the past century has created a decline in the wild orchid population. It now has a 'threatened status' making it illegal to harvest wild plants or to export true salep powder.

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