With sharp-pointed leaves enveloping the stem and delicate bracts among its vibrant blooms, Epipactis palustris stands out with its strikingly coloured flowers, ranging from brownish-purple to creamy-green hues. Adorned with deep pink or purplish-red sepals and paler upper petals, the blooms showcase intricate detailing with dark purple-to-red veining along the lip's base and frilly outer edges. Widely regarded as one of Europe's most beautiful and hardy wild orchids, it thrives in boggy areas, wetlands, and pond margins.