Orchidaceae
Lady Orchid
Orchis mascula
✓ Generally Safe
Safe in Pregnancy
Native to: Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Also known as: Early Purple Orchid, Dog Stones, Soldiers Orchid, Adam and Eve
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
Tuber
Therapeutic Uses
Malnutrition, digestive weakness, convalescence (nutritive salep starch), inflammatory GI conditions. Salep (orchid flour) traditional Middle Eastern beverage and food.
Herbal Actions
Nutritive, demulcent, emollient, digestive tonic
Active Constituents
Glucomannan (primary — salep starch, nutritive), starch, mucilage, proteins, minerals
Preparation Methods
Food☕ Herbal Tea
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 1 tsp salep powder in warm milk — traditional salep drink, 2x daily |
| Tincture | N/A — food medicine |
| Notes | PROTECTED species — never wildcraft. Source from cultivated tubers or purchase commercial salep flour (Turkey, Iran). Traditional warm salep drink popular in Turkey. Excellent nutritive for convalescence. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
✓ Generally Safe
Pregnancy
Safe in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
None known
Contraindications: Protected species — cultivated only. Otherwise very safe.
Side Effects: Very safe as food. Rare allergy.