Grass-pink

Grass-pink (Calopogon tuberosus)
Photograph by Richard Wiegand

The Tuberous Grass-Pink is currently found in only a few locations on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, although at one time it was found statewide. This State Endangered species suffered because of its beauty and choice of habitat, both subject to human intervention.

As with many members of the Orchid Family, over collection by plant enthusiasts is a major problem for the Grass-pink. Unregulated and unscrupulous collectors have wiped out more than one species of orchid. Additionally, this plant prefers to grow in moist areas, like bogs, wet meadows, seepage slopes and moist savannahs. These areas are vulnerable to the impacts of development, which alters the hydrology of adjacent lands, often drying them out.

The good news for the Grass-pink in Maryland is that the majority of its current populations occur on both State-owned and privately owned preserves.