The Early Purple Orchid, as its name suggests, is one of the first orchids you are likely to find in the spring, flowering from April to June in woods and on grassland. Its colours range from deep red-purple (most common) to blue-violet, sometimes pink or even white! A native tuber the plant is short, up to 40cm in height, and is found throughout the British Isles, although less common in the far north. As for all orchids it is less than easy for the non-expert to see the flower as a spike of individual flowers rather than a single big and highly complex flower. The Early Purple Orchid spikes are loose and the individual flowers are lipped, slightly 3-lobed, and spurred.

The flowers have an unpleasant cat-like smell, which could be a reason for an equally unpleasant traditional name - "Dead Men's Fingers".

Flower: Little (8 -12 mm) red-purple to blue-violet (sometimes pink or white) with a lower 3-lobed lip in a big loose spike.
Leaves: Lanceolate, usually with dark purple spots
Habitat: Woods, grassland
Height to about 40 cm
Typically flowering: April - June