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Orchids in Aotearoa New Zealand

There are over 100 species of orchids in Aotearoa New Zealand and come in a variety of shapes, colours, and dimensions. Some are epiphytic (live on trees), while others are terrestrial and are usually found on the forest floor or among scrub. 

Our orchids thrive in diverse habitats. They inhabit forests, wetlands, mountain tops, and even roadsides across Aotearoa New Zealand. Some species are also found in the cold and remote Subantarctic Islands.

  • A man in a blue tshirt and a cap is crouched down on the ground and inspecting a small plant.

    How do you grow onion orchids? Peeling back the layers of an overlooked native

    Easily overlooked and regionally endangered, very little is known about the habits and needs of our endemic small onion orchid Microtis oligantha. As this year’s Victoria University of Wellington Summer Scholar at Te Papa and Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush, Ben Carson aims to make the acquaintance of these unusual orchids.

  • Four small green flowers at the base of a tree.

    Orchid hunting in the Remutaka Range

    Botany Curator Carlos Lehnebach led a group of scientists and postgraduate students to several orchid-rich spots in the Remutaka Range, about 40 minutes from Wellington. The aim of the trip was to find the different forms of the native Spider orchid (Nematoceras trilobum) in flower.

  • A 10-year hunt for a tiny parasitic ghost orchid

    Would you have the patience to spend 10 years trying to find something practically invisible? Botanist Carlos Lehnebach recently discovered his 'holy grail' - a collection of tiny ghost orchids in the Wellington region.

  • A man up a ladder picking something of a bushy tree

    Conservation of rare and threatened plants

    Documenting the pollination biology of threatened plants and trees, identifying orchid mycorrhizal partners and implementing methods to propagate orchids from seed for conservation purposes.