Örbacken nature reserve

Nature reserve

Örbacken's limestone marsh is located below the northern slope of the Mjölby Delta.

The marsh is probably the most typical overflow mire in Östergötland. In the open marsh, spring water emerges and collects in small winding streams. Through the crystal-clear water, one can see that the bottom is covered with white lime deposits from the calcium-rich water.

The calcium-rich water in Örbacken gives rise to a very rich flora. In May, the pink Mayflower blooms among tufts of barley. Orchids, with their enormous variety of colors and shapes, dominate in the lime marsh during the summer. The Fly Orchid is a fascinating orchid that, with its insect-like flowers, attracts male wasps that pollinate the flower.

The most common orchid in Örbacken is the marsh helmet orchid. The reserve also has many meadow, blood, and wax orchids, which occur in various color variants. A mountain plant, black heights, thrives in Örbacken. It is only found in a few places in southern Sweden, where it has remained since the Ice Age receded. Örbacken's alkaline marsh is also valuable from an international perspective. Therefore, Örbacken has been designated as a Natura 2000 area. Natura 2000 is a network of valuable nature within the EU.