The Wild Orchids of Andalucia
The south of Spain is great not only to watch birds, but also for orchids. During our birding tours and trips we usually chance some of the most beautiful wild orchids of Andalucia. Here's a selection of the orchids we have found on our last trips. There are a tremendous number of species in Iberia and we count with some around 60 species of wild orchids of Andalucia. It is great to be able to illustrate a few of these here:

Orquídea piramidad - Pyramid orchid - Anacamptis pyramidalis

Early purple orchid - Satirión manchado - Orchis Olbiensis

Orquídea gigante - Giant orchid - Barlia robertiana

Lizard Orchid - Orquídea del lagarto - Himantoglosum hircinum

Woodcock ophrys - Flor de abeja - Ophrys scolopax picta

Sawfly Ophrys - Flor de avispa - Ophrys ficalhoana

Sawfly ophrys - Flor de avispa - Ophrys tenthredinifera

Man orchid - Orquídea del ahorcado - Aceras antropophorum

Conical orchid - Olor de chinches - Orchis conica

Mirror Ophrys - Abejera de espejo - Ophrys speculum

Ophrys speculum lusitanica

Bumble-bee ophrys - Orquídea abejorro - Ophrys bombyliflora

Yellow Ophrys - Abejera amarilla - Ophrys Lutea

Sword-leaved helleborine - Orquídea de hojas largas - Cephalanthera longifolia

Small-flowered serapias - Gallos - Serapias parviflora

Champagne Orchid - Compañón - Orchis champagneuxii

Ophrys fusca bilunulata

Naked man orchid - Flor de los hombrecitos - Orchis italica

Violet limodore - Orquídea parásita - Limodorum abortivum trabutianum

Pink Butterfly Orchid - Orquídea mariposa - Orchis papilionacea

Orquídea de Cazorla - Orchid cazorlensis

Fan-lipped Orchid - Orquídea pobre - Orchis collina

Robust marsh orchid - Orquídea de los arroyos - Dactylorhiza elata

Ophrys (fusca) lupercalis

Small yellow orchid - Ophrys lutea (quarteriae) galileae

Lusus Ophrys tenthredinifera
Yes, we birders look to the ground sometimes. So check this webpage to find new pictures of more orchids that we 'll be finding during our birdwatching journeys. Meanwhile, we leave you with an interesting site of the wild orchids of Spain.
Orchids of the Sierra de Grazalema
The Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park together with other territories of the Serranía de Ronda and the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park is among the most renown areas to find orchids in Spain. A naturalist will be deligthed to find Barlia Robertiana in full flower by Christmas, whereas the main orchid season expands to late June.
There are 37 species of orchids in the Ronda-Grazalema area, which represent half of the orchids in Southern Spain, 63 species.
Here, up to 22 species are in bloom in February, 32 in March and up to 30 in May. Both Ronda and Grazalema are therefore excellent bases for an orchid trip with forays to the three natural areas above mentioned.
Orchid checklist Sierra de Grazalema
Printable orchid checklist
Print it out, bring it on the field and enjoy our orchids!
Click to download checklistOrquídea gigante | Giant orchid | Barlia robertiana |
Green-winged orchid | Orchis morio | |
Olor de chinches | Conical orchid | Orchis conica |
Olor de chinches | Fragrant orchid | Orchis coriophora |
Campañón | Champagne orchid | Orchis champagneuxii |
Flor de los hombrecitos | Naked man orchid | Orchis italica |
Orquídea de Lange | Lange's orchid | Orchis langei |
Satirión manchado | Early purple orchid | Orchis olbiensis |
Orquídea mariposa | Butterfly orchid | Orchis papilionacea |
Orquídea del ahorcado | Man orchid | Aceras anthropophorum |
Gallos | Tongue orchid | Serapias lingua |
Gallos | Small-flowered serapias | Serapias parviflora |
Flor de abeja | Woodcock ophrys | Ophrys scolopax (picta) |
Abejera | Bee orchid | Ophrys apifera |
Abejera andaluza | Atlantic ophrys | Ophrys atlantica |
Orquídea abejorro | Bumblebee orchid | Ophrys bombyliflora |
Abejera amarilla | Yellow bee orchid | Ophrys lutea lutea |
Ophrys lutea galileae (quarteirae) | ||
Flor de avispa | Sawfly ophrys | Ophrys tenthredinifera |
Abejera de la omega | Omega ophrys | Ophrys dyris |
Abejera oscura | Sombre bee-orchid | Ophrys fusca |
Abejera de espejo | Mirror ophrys | Ophrys speculum speculum |
Ophrys speculum lusitanica | ||
Orquídea de hojas largas | Sword-leaved helleborine | Cephalanthera longifolia |
Red helleborine | Cephalanthera rubra | |
Orquídea heleborina | Helleborine orchid | Epipactis tremolsii |
Orquídea de los arroyos | Robust marsh orchid | Dactylorhiza elata |
Orquídea pálida | Dactylorhiza sulphurea (D. markusii) | |
Lax-flowered orchid | Anacamptis laxiflora laxiflora | |
Orquídea piramidal | Pyramidal orchid | Anacamptis pyramidalis |
Orquídea del lagarto | Lizard orchid | Himantoglossum hircinum |
Barton's orchid | Dactylorhiza insularis | |
Orquídea moteada | Dense-flowered orchid | Neotinea maculata |
Orquídea parásita | Violet limodore | Limodorum abortivum |
Limodorum trabutianum | ||
Trenzas de muchacha | Summer lady's-tresses | Spiranthes aestivalis |
Orquídea otoñal | Autumn lady's-tresses | Spiranthes spiralis |
Query us to enjoy a bespoke orchid walk in the Serranía de Ronda!