When does the crippled cranefly orchid bloom?

Tipularia discolor blooms from July through September, producing a thin flowering stalk that rises from the forest floor after its single winter leaf has withered.

What pollinates Tipularia discolor?

Nocturnal moths pollinate the crippled cranefly orchid. The flower's off center spur forces moths to twist as they feed, which deposits pollen unevenly and gives the plant its common name.

What growing conditions does this orchid prefer?

It grows as a forb in part shade to shade with medium to lower soil moisture, often under a deciduous canopy in mixed hardwood or pine-hardwood forests.

Why doesn't Tipularia discolor have leaves when it flowers?

Its single mottled leaf emerges in autumn, stays through winter to photosynthesize while the canopy is bare, then withers by early summer before the flower stalk appears.

Is Crippled Cranefly HOA-friendly?

Crippled Cranefly takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Crippled Cranefly

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Tipularia discolor

Last reviewed: August 2026

Tipularia discolor, the crippled cranefly orchid, sends up a slender purple-brown flower spike in part shade woodlands, typically blooming from July through September.

Toxicity unknown

Crippled Cranefly (Tipularia discolor) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part shade

Water

medium

Size

6"–12" H × 3"–6" W

Bloom

Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AL, AR, DE, FL and 21 more states

Pollinators

moths

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

South Central Plains Eastern Temperate Forests Ozark Highlands Piedmont Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Piedmont Southeastern Plains Blue Ridge Ridge and Valley Central Appalachians Western Allegheny Plateau Interior Plateau Mississippi Alluvial Plain Mississippi Valley Loess Plains Southern Coastal Plain Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens

Crippled cranefly orchid is a rare native orchid that produces a single mottled leaf in fall and winter, followed by a delicate spike of small greenish flowers in summer. This uncommon woodland species requires specific growing conditions and is challenging to establish in typical garden settings.

Growing Crippled Cranefly

Grow Crippled Cranefly in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 6 to 12 inches tall and spread 3 to 6 inches wide. Expect high maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Crippled Cranefly takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Extremely uncommon and may appear as weeds to most people
Invisible for much of the growing season
Difficult to maintain and may not establish successfully

Wildlife value

This orchid attracts moths as its primary pollinators during its summer blooming period. As a native orchid species, it provides specialized habitat for certain moth species.

Common questions

When does the crippled cranefly orchid bloom?: Tipularia discolor blooms from July through September, producing a thin flowering stalk that rises from the forest floor after its single winter leaf has withered.
What pollinates Tipularia discolor?: Nocturnal moths pollinate the crippled cranefly orchid. The flower's off center spur forces moths to twist as they feed, which deposits pollen unevenly and gives the plant its common name.
What growing conditions does this orchid prefer?: It grows as a forb in part shade to shade with medium to lower soil moisture, often under a deciduous canopy in mixed hardwood or pine-hardwood forests.
Why doesn't Tipularia discolor have leaves when it flowers?: Its single mottled leaf emerges in autumn, stays through winter to photosynthesize while the canopy is bare, then withers by early summer before the flower stalk appears.
Is Crippled Cranefly HOA-friendly?: Crippled Cranefly takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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