Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorum Heath Spotted Orchid

A native perennial orchid of damp or wet acidic soils in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, heaths, wet flushes and bogs. Scattered throughout the Sandlings in old meadows marshes and wet flushes. Occasionally found in pockets of acidic soils in ancient woods on the boulder clay and in acid parts of the valley fens. Locally abundant in a few sites such as Thorpe Common at Trimley on the Felixstowe peninsula where many plants can be seen showing a range of flower colours from mauve to white.