The Nelsons (Tom, Jackie and daughters Johanna and Christina) have hunted orchids all across North America and Europe but had never been to the fabled Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. July 2nd, 2018 found us excitedly headed to that region from our home in New York City. Our first stop was in far northern Maine, where orchid-friend Mark Larocque had generously provided us with directions to some orchid sites. Although our time in Maine was limited, we were able to visit Woodland Bog near Caribou on a blazingly hot day and were rewarded with four species, including Galearis rotundifolia, a very rare species in the Eastern US which usually blooms in early June at this location. The blooming season was about 3 weeks late in 2018, which was definitely to our advantage.

It was then on to Rimouski, Quebec, where Montreal native and orchid expert Benoit Dorion guided me in to a hard-to-access fen at Lac des Joncs (Lake of the Reeds) that harbors 17 species of orchids. We found 9 in bloom! It was amazing to see Arethusa, Yellow Lady's-slippers and Showy lady's-slippers, all in prime bloom at the same time in close proximity - something I had never seen before. Benoit's partner Carolina kindly entertained Jackie and the girls at nearby Bic Provincial Park - where they enjoyed incredible scenery and also found some orchids - while Benoit and I bushwhacked through the fen.

Our next stop was the incredibly scenic Parc National de la Gaspesie, where the Appalachian Range reaches its northern terminus. Benoit had given me directions to a site for the hybrid twayblade Neottia x veltmanii, a real treat. Although not as orchid-rich as Lac des Joncs, we enjoyed exploring the old-growth boreal forest along the Ste. Anne River.

We then headed to the town of Perce, located at the eastern tip of the Gaspe Peninsula. The ferry trip to nearby Bonaventure Island passes by the myriad colonies of seabirds perched on its rocky shores, a remarkable spectacle in our increasingly industrialized world. We spent an entire day exploring the island and found 7 species of orchids. The season was so late that lilacs were blooming on July 7th!

After crossing the mighty St. Lawrence River by ferry, we visited stunning Haute Gorges National Park, near La Malbaie, Quebec, where some of the highest rock faces east of the Rockies are found. We went on a very enjoyable - but grueling - 11 kilometer hike that led through some beautiful orchid-rich woodlands. Hidden deep in the woods was a massive Platanthera orbiculata, a truly stunning sight!

On the way to our final destination of Montreal, we payed a visit to orchid-expert/photographer Sylvain Beausejour, author of the beautifully illustrated "Native Orchids of Quebec and Labrador". Sylvain and I have traded orchid site information for many years but had never met. He has a native population of Platanthera lacera growing on his property, and has introduced Goodyera pubescens and Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens there as well. He also showed us some local orchid populations, making for a very enjoyable afternoon. But most importantly, he put me in touch with his friend Benoit; between the two of them, they insured that our trip was a success!

We found 25 species varieties and formas of orchids:

Arethusa bulbosa (Dragon's-mouth)
Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis (Western Spotted Coralroot)
Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis (Western Spotted Coralroot) golden, pure-white lip form
Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata (Spotted Coralroot)
Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii (Vreeland's Coralroot)
Corallorhiza trifida (Early Coralroot)
Cypripedium acaule (Pink Lady's-slipper)
Cypripedium parviflorum var.pubescens (Yellow Lady's-slipper
Cypripedium reginae (Showy Lady's-slipper)
Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine)
Galearis rotundifolia (Small Round-leaved Orchid)
Goodyera pubescens (Rattlesnake Orchid)
Goodyera repens (Lesser Rattlesnake Orchid)
Goodyera tesselata (Checkered Rattlesnake Orchid)
Malaxis unifolia (Green Adder's-mouth)
Neottia convallarioides (Broad-lipped Twayblade)
Neottia cordata (Heart-leaved Twayblade)
Neottia x veltmanii (Veltman's Twayblade)
Platanthera aquilonis (Northern Green Bog Orchid)
Platanthera hookeri (Hooker's Orchid)
Platanthera lacera Ragged orchid)
Platanthera obtusata (Blunt-leafed Rein Orchid)
Platanthera orbiculata (Pad-leaved Orchid)
Platanthera psycodes (Small Purple Fringed orchid)
Spiranthes lacer var. lacera (Northern Slender Ladies'-tresses)