This delicate orchid speciman can be found along the wildflower trail. Several orchids are marked with small red flags for easier viewing and study. Please stay on the trail to avoid accidentally stepping on one of our unusual plants.

The presence of native orchids is an indicator of a high quality prairie. Orchids require certain microrganisms to be present in the soil for their seeds to germinate.

They are especially dependent on the plant community around them, .

and are very susceptible to any type of disturbance.

For these reasons, many native orchids are disappearing. Hopefully, Anderson Prairie Park can some day be a repository for wild orchid species grown in a laboratory at Illinois College in Jacksonville. Illinois College is one of the few places in the nation carrying on research into the propogation and restoration of native orchids.