This is a fairly common orchid which prefers acid peaty soil. It often grows in amongst the heather sticking up between the plants. It is quite variable and these in the photo are particularly lush specimens growing in damp conditions. On Anglesey you will see it amongst the heather on the left of the footpath leading along the cliff from south stack towards Holyhead but the lush, healthy specimens above are by the small ponds on the other side of the path.

Dactylorhiza maculata is a frequently recorded plant in the British Isles but much commoner in the north and west than the east of England. It is very common in Wales, all of Scotland and Ireland.

Dactylorhiza maculata Heath Spotted-orchid South Stack, Anglesey, 31st May 2003 Previous   Next	Dactylorhiza maculata Heath Spotted-orchid Fraoch-bheinn, Scotland 7th June 2006 Previous   Next
Dactylorhiza maculata	Dactylorhiza maculata

Anglesey LHS: Porth Diana 27th May 2003 RHS: South Stack, 31st May 2003

Added on January 24th 2005, updated 11th December 2008, updated 28th March 2010