Aplectrum hyemale aka Putty Root

Aplectrum hyemale is a woodland orchid called puttyroot or Adam and Eve. It belongs to Orchidaceae and is its genus's only species. Its native range spans eastern Canada and the east-central and eastern United States. It grows on wooded slopes, in ravines, and in swamps. Small, scattered patches are more usual than large colonies.

This perennial grows from underground corms, often joined by rhizomes. Paired corms gave rise to the name Adam and Eve. Plants reach 1–2 feet [0.30–0.61 metres] tall. Their spread is about 0.67–1 foot [0.20–0.30 metres]. Each plant bears one basal leaf, with no leafy stem above it. The oval leaf has smooth edges and a pointed tip. Pleats and green stripes alternate with silvery-white lines across its surface. It measures 0.33–0.5 feet [0.10–0.15 metres] long. The leaf appears in fall and lasts through winter. It uses light that passes through the bare tree canopy.

Slender, green, leafless flower stalks rise in late May or early June. Each carries a loose raceme of eight to twenty flowers. Flowers are pale green with purple, sometimes yellowish or white. Three sepals form a triangle around the lipped flower. The white lower lip has purple spots and a wavy front. Flowers lack both scent and nectar. Sweat bees may pollinate them, though this remains uncertain. Tan capsules follow in summer and hang downward from the stalk. Each capsule has ridges and a pointed tip.

Grow puttyroot in a woodland or shade garden with humus-rich soil. It suits partial shade or light filtered through trees. Sources place it in moist soils, including sites that flood. PFAF also stresses drainage in its cultivation notes. NC State lists USDA hardiness zones 3a through 8b. Use it in small groups or as a woodland accent. It also suits shaded slopes and pond or stream margins. Its striped winter leaf offers interest when nearby trees stand bare.

NC State reports no major pest or disease problems. Cultivation still calls for care with its soil fungi. PFAF explains that these fungi help supply the orchid with nutrients. Fertilizers and fungicides can harm that partnership. Crushed corms yield a sticky material once used to repair pottery. PFAF records past medicinal uses of the roots. Those records do not establish safe or effective treatment. NC State calls the plant inedible; PFAF lists no known edible uses. PFAF reports no known hazards, but this does not prove safety.