Bloomipedia
Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis)
Photo: Connor McInerney via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Showy orchis

Galearis spectabilis

Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis) is a flowering plant in the Orchidaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Showy orchis is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

32states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
12,848U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

Quick look

Galearis spectabilis, commonly known as showy orchis or showy orchid, is an orchid species of the genus Galearis. It is native to eastern Canada and much of the eastern half of the United States. In the United States they are found from eastern Oklahoma north to eastern South Dakota in the west and from Atlanta, Georgia and North Alabama north up into Maine to the east.

  • It belongs to the Orchidaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Maryland. NatureServe
  • In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • In Virginia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,327 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #72 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,069 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #85 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,794 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #65 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,187 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
North CarolinaNativeApril–May2,327
VirginiaNativeApril–May2,069
TennesseeNativeApril1,794
MarylandNativeApril–May1,742

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 4 states.
See each state
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: S5, secure in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KS (S2), MA (S1), ME (S1), MI (S2), MS (S1), NE (S1), NH (S2), RI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records showy orchis in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Clay, Durham, Forsyth, Graham, Granville, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Mitchell, Orange, Polk, Rockingham, Stokes, Swain, Transylvania, Wake, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Albemarle, Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Frederick, Gloucester, Goochland, Grayson, Greene, Greensville, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montgomery, Nelson, New Kent, Nottoway, Orange, Page, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Richmond, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, Wise, York.

Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Blount, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, Davidson, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Knox, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Polk, Rhea, Sevier, Sullivan, Van Buren, White.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Galeorchis spectabilis, Orchis spectabilis.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 690 counties across 32 states; the most are in Virginia (78), Illinois (66), Indiana (51).

More from the Orchidaceae family (23 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Pink lady's slipper, Crane-fly orchid, Downy rattlesnake plantain, Broad-leaved helleborine, Western rattlesnake plantain, Spotted coralroot, Putty root, White bog orchid.

More North Carolina flowers

Crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor)

Crane-fly orchid

Tipularia discolor

Native

🌼 Blooms in NC: July–August
Downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

Downy rattlesnake plantain

Goodyera pubescens

Native

🌼 Blooms in NC: July–August
Pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule)

Pink lady's slipper

Cypripedium acaule

★ NH state wildflowerNative

🌼 Blooms in NC: April–May

Sources