26.02.25 Lizard Orchids

Now is the winter of our thin content made much better by reminiscing over the glorious orchids of last summer. In July we saw the stunning Lizard orchids (Himantoglossum hircinum) of Sandwich Bay in Kent. It reminded me I also grew the plant at home, a decade ago. I was in orchid conversation with people who both owned second homes in France and they were kind enough to give me some tubers from their own land. The Lizard grows abundantly in some areas of France, along roadsides and in grassy banks, and is often described as growing “like a weed”.

We are less fortunate in the UK; it has always been pretty rare here, with small populations scattered over South and East England, and waxing and waning quite markedly over the past century. It has special protection under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and countryside Act 1981. Currently the best populations are Sandwich Bay and the Devil’s Dyke bank at Newmarket Racecourse.

Unexpected pop-ups occur in new places, but they are usually short-lived. I was recently contacted for advice by someone who found a single plant growing in their garden near Princes Risborough. Thus, though soil and mycorrhizal requirements are permissive in some places, climate could be quite an important factor. It is believed mild, fairly wet winters are conducive.

The Lizard is one of the largest if not the largest orchid we have, growing often over 0.5 and up to 1.0 metre tall. If you ever wondered what it looks like below ground (and why wouldn’t you?)  the photos show it has an appropriately enormous tuber, like a potato. There are also several thick fleshy roots coming from the base of the stem. It is winter-green with really large basal leaves, as can be seen in comparison to the paper clip. The plant has no trouble competing in longer-grass situations than would suit most other orchids.

When tubers get this big there is not much that can stop them flowering! Planted out in our garden they duly obliged. The straggly, exotic-looking flowers are well known for their distinctive, strong, unpleasant smell. The species name hircinum in Latin means “goat-like”, and all sources agree it is like the smell of billy goats. I have never knowingly sniffed a billy goat, so am happy to accept this. In the goat it may be due to volatile compounds such as butyric acid (famously whiffy), caproic acid, and other carboxylic acids.

I haven’t found any information on actual chemical analysis of Lizard orchid scent but, for those of us unfamiliar with goats, I can only add the smell reminds me of the taste of ibuprofen (can a smell can be equated to a taste?). Perhaps there is some rational basis for this because ibuprofen is an isobutylphenyl derivative of propionic acid, which latter is known to have a rancid, body-odour like smell. It seems that volatile carboxylic acids are probably involved.

Anyway, whatever the true chemical composition, please do not try chewing ibuprofen at home, folks!

Photos: 1. Lizard orchid tuber and roots, 2. Leaves in winter, 3. Lizard flowering in my garden, 4. Close-up of flowers, 5. Lizard orchids in Sandwich Bay.

Anthony.heys@sky.com