With over 30,000 species, orchids are one of the largest plant families in the world and have fascinated people for centuries with the splendour of their flowers. Many people know orchids as tropical plants, which can be bought in their cultivated form.

But the orchid is also a plant that can be found in nature. There are 45 species native to Luxembourg, of which 9 are extinct. Of the 36 species still growing in the country, no less than 30 can be found in the UNESCO Minett Biosphere Reserve.

Orchids are indicators of a biologically intact habitat and can be found in a variety of habitats, from dark forests to dry meadows, often found in the former open-cast mining areas in the south, where a fascinating diversity of species has developed in the 50 years since the end of iron ore mining. These nutrient-poor habitats are ideal for the survival of orchids.

All orchids are protected

All orchid species native to Luxembourg are strictly protected. Suitable habitats, often located in nature reserves and requiring regular maintenance, are important for their conservation. Several factors threaten the survival of orchid populations: lack of habitat maintenance, excessive fertilisation and intensive agricultural use.

Many orchids originate from the Mediterranean region and are perfectly adapted to the habitat of dry meadows. In Luxembourg, orchids often flourish on calcareous soils, such as those found in the former open-cast mining areas of the Minett.

Our orchids are currently in bloom and it is worth taking a walk in the nature reserves of Haard, Léiffrächen, Lalléngerbierg, Giele Botter, Ellergronn or Kiemerchen to discover and admire our native orchids. Please keep to the paths, keep your dogs on a lead and remember not to pick or otherwise damage the orchids.

Some of the orchids of our Biosphere Reserve