The Smoky Mountains photos on this page are of Yellow Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris). These stunning summer wildflowers bloom in July and August in the Smokies. The blossoms can be from bright orange to yellow, with the distinctive long fringe, most noticeable in the photo at the bottom of this page.
This orchid grows in acidic, shady conditions at mid-elevations. The specimens here were found just off Little River Road between Elkmont and the Laurel Falls Trail. You might also see them in the woods in Cades Cove or along Bullhead Trail.
If you are traveling in the Smokies on vacation, please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountains Photos at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN. There may be a special Smokies photo memory for you to take home.
And if you are a wildflowers enthusiast, please join our Smoky Mountains Wildflowers Community on Facebook. We exchange photo identifications, bloom locations, and info on these delicate and beautiful plants.
I don’t have to go to Cade’s Cove, etc. These beautiful GSM Orchids are growing in abundance just out my front door here in Green Corner on the N. C./Tn. State line.