Holy Ghost blooms @ FMG

[sucuz]

The 'Holy Ghost' orchid is blooming at Fredrick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I don't have a digital camera!

Peristeria elata aka Holy Ghost orchid, Holy Spirit orchid, Dove orchid. see IOSPE PHOTOS

National flower of Panama. Sends up a flower spike about3' to 4' high. Waxy white flowers look like an Easter egg with a little white dove accented with red spots inside. Amazing scent like a combination of mint and roses.

History of this plant: Came from the personal collection of the 'Orchid Man' who started the orchid collection at Meijer Gardens. He had it for 15 years and it had never bloomed. A few years after he brought it to our greenhouse, it bloomed for the first time. He got to see it. Seven years later it bloomed again. Unfortunately our 'Orchid Man' had retired (82 years old and 10,000+ volunteer hours) and never saw the second blooming. Now two years later it has just begun its third blooming.

As it gets older, the frequency of time between blooms seems to be getting shorter. Don't know if that is common, or is just this plant, or it is getting happier, or just circumstance. It is the only one of this type that we have.

Marilyn, or any of you in the Grand Rapids area, come and take some pictures that you can post for all to enjoy. Please, please, please! If it follows its former pattern of bloom time, it should be in flower for about 4 weeks. 6 flowers are now open and there are more buds forming up the bloom spike.