Ghost Orchid, July 2007

Ghost Orchid

Dendrophylax lindenii, or Polyrrhiza lindenii

Natural range
The Ghost Orchid is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba.

In Florida, its range is very localized in swamps in the Fakahatchee, Big Cypress, and Corkscrew areas of Collier and Hendry Counties.

Status The Ghost Orchid is an endangered species. It is illegal under both state and federal laws to remove or relocate.

Corkscrew's Ghost Orchid
This Ghost Orchid is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year old Bald Cypress tree.

The previously highest known location of any Ghost Orchid in Collier County was in Fakahatchee at 23 feet. The Corkscrew plant is approximately 45-50 feet above ground. A Ghost Orchid had not been observed from Corkscrew boardwalk for at least 12 years prior to its discovery in 2007. It is estimated that this plant is 30-35 years old.

Typically, Ghost Orchids have 1-2 blooms although there may be as many as 10, and occasionally a plant will bloom twice in the same season.

2007: The Corkscrew Ghost Orchid bloomed three times between July 7 and October 15. The first time, it had 12 blooms at the same time, the second time it had 10 blooms at the same time, and the third time it had 3 blooms at the same time.

2008: The first bloom appeared June 23 with five other buds visible from the boardwalk. The buds open in succession. It again bloomed three separate times with the heaviest flowering, 10 blooms at the same time, occuring in early July.

2009: The first bloom was observed July 7 with eight other buds visible through a spotting scope. By July 28, ten blooms were open with three buds still visible. The majority of blooms faded by mid September, but one new bloom remained through the end of the month.

Habitat
Ghost Orchids are found on trees in hardwood hammocks, sloughs, cypress domes.

Host trees include pop ash (most common), pond apple (second most common), and bald cypress, maple, and oak.

Plant
Epiphytic (grows on other plants but does not harm or receive any nutrients from host)

Leafless (photosynthesis occurs through roots)

Roots are gray-green and typically about 20 inches long.

Seeds are dispersed by wind; must land on rough-barked tree; germination does not occur unless a particular fungi is present where seed lands

Flowers
Blooms appear May through August (rarely in other months); heaviest blooming is in July.

Typically there are one or two blooms per plant, but there can be as many as 10.

Flowers are white to creamy green colored and usually 4-1/2 to 5 inches in size.

Plants are infrequent bloomers with flowers not appearing for years between seasons when they do bloom.

Flowers open in succession, usually 1 to 2 at a time.

Individual blooms last 10-14 days.

The orchid is nocturnally fragrant.

The lower lip produces two long, petals that twist slightly downward, resembling the back legs of a jumping frog (hence another common name, Frog Orchid).

Pollination Ghost Orchids are not self-pollinating. Pollination is done by the Giant Sphinx Moth, the only local insect with a long enough proboscis (4-5 inches). The Giant Sphinx Moth's larval plant is the Pond Apple tree. For a YouTube video of the moth pollinating a Ghost Orchid (not Corkscrew's), please click HERE.

Notes
The Ghost Orchid received its name because the plant has no leaves (only roots) and when it blooms, the flower appears to be floating in mid-air.

The epithet lindenii in the scientific name is derived from its discoverer, the Belgian plantcollector Jean Jules Linden who saw this orchid for the first time in Cuba in 1844.

It was the subject of Susan Orlean's novel The Orchid Thief, but she has never seen one in bloom.

Commercial propagation Ghost Orchids illegally removed from the wild rarely survive. When grown commercially, they must be propagated from seed, a process that takes 7+ years.

Natural range	The Ghost Orchid is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba. In Florida, its range is very localized in swamps in the Fakahatchee, Big Cypress, and Corkscrew areas of Collier and Hendry Counties.
Status	The Ghost Orchid is an endangered species. It is illegal under both state and federal laws to remove or relocate.
Corkscrew's Ghost Orchid	This Ghost Orchid is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year old Bald Cypress tree. The previously highest known location of any Ghost Orchid in Collier County was in Fakahatchee at 23 feet. The Corkscrew plant is approximately 45-50 feet above ground. A Ghost Orchid had not been observed from Corkscrew boardwalk for at least 12 years prior to its discovery in 2007. It is estimated that this plant is 30-35 years old. Typically, Ghost Orchids have 1-2 blooms although there may be as many as 10, and occasionally a plant will bloom twice in the same season. 2007: The Corkscrew Ghost Orchid bloomed three times between July 7 and October 15. The first time, it had 12 blooms at the same time, the second time it had 10 blooms at the same time, and the third time it had 3 blooms at the same time. 2008: The first bloom appeared June 23 with five other buds visible from the boardwalk. The buds open in succession. It again bloomed three separate times with the heaviest flowering, 10 blooms at the same time, occuring in early July. 2009: The first bloom was observed July 7 with eight other buds visible through a spotting scope. By July 28, ten blooms were open with three buds still visible. The majority of blooms faded by mid September, but one new bloom remained through the end of the month.
Habitat	Ghost Orchids are found on trees in hardwood hammocks, sloughs, cypress domes. Host trees include pop ash (most common), pond apple (second most common), and bald cypress, maple, and oak.
Plant	Epiphytic (grows on other plants but does not harm or receive any nutrients from host) Leafless (photosynthesis occurs through roots) Roots are gray-green and typically about 20 inches long. Seeds are dispersed by wind; must land on rough-barked tree; germination does not occur unless a particular fungi is present where seed lands
Flowers	Blooms appear May through August (rarely in other months); heaviest blooming is in July. Typically there are one or two blooms per plant, but there can be as many as 10. Flowers are white to creamy green colored and usually 4-1/2 to 5 inches in size. Plants are infrequent bloomers with flowers not appearing for years between seasons when they do bloom. Flowers open in succession, usually 1 to 2 at a time. Individual blooms last 10-14 days. The orchid is nocturnally fragrant. The lower lip produces two long, petals that twist slightly downward, resembling the back legs of a jumping frog (hence another common name, Frog Orchid).
Pollination	Ghost Orchids are not self-pollinating. Pollination is done by the Giant Sphinx Moth, the only local insect with a long enough proboscis (4-5 inches). The Giant Sphinx Moth's larval plant is the Pond Apple tree. For a YouTube video of the moth pollinating a Ghost Orchid (not Corkscrew's), please click HERE.
Notes	The Ghost Orchid received its name because the plant has no leaves (only roots) and when it blooms, the flower appears to be floating in mid-air. The epithet lindenii in the scientific name is derived from its discoverer, the Belgian plantcollector Jean Jules Linden who saw this orchid for the first time in Cuba in 1844. It was the subject of Susan Orlean's novel The Orchid Thief, but she has never seen one in bloom.
Commercial propagation	Ghost Orchids illegally removed from the wild rarely survive. When grown commercially, they must be propagated from seed, a process that takes 7+ years.