Ladies Tresses Orchids

I have always thought of Ladies Tresses (Spiranthus) as a rare plant, perhaps because they are orchids. My walks along the road this fall have proven me wrong. I first began to see them popping up along the road sides in late August. and they continue to appear in different places even now, mid-September. They grow right in the grass and weeds on the roadside and many have come up after a recent mowing by the county. When I first saw them this year, they were along one stretch of road, on one side of the road. I counted about 25 plants. The next time I walked several days later, most of those had passed, but there were a few scattered about in other places. Over several days they have opened along the other side of the road over the mile stretch that I walk. The last count was 50 uncounted plants, mostly on the other side of the road from the  ones I first saw. They are not rare, and they are quite tough as evidenced by their chosen habitat, a roadside. I also have several in my "lawn", which I have carefully mowed around.
The flower stalks pop up on naked stems. After they pass, the somewhat fleshy rosette of leaves appear.

Ladies Tresses

Seems like the ladies tresses orchids (Spiranthes) were late this year, another thing I attribute to the lack of rain. They seem to pop up unexpectedly and I am always surprised and pleased. They grow in one section of the yard in the grass and seem to come up in different spots. They are perrennial according to what I read so I guess different plants come up in different years. One year I had a big nice one at the bottom of the front steps, but have not seen it since that year.