Multi-flowered ghost orchid...

[prem]

Here's my photo of the multi-flowered ghost. Thanks to Mike for playing tour guide and allowing us to see this rare treasure. NOTE: I did digitally restore the center flower to its pristine state prior to something eating some holes in it...no sense in letting a few spots ruin an otherwise perfect photo.



As an aside, I think we should've been more obscure on the location of this rather unique plant...it would've sufficed to say it was found somewhere in the Big Cypress Swamp (of which the Fak is a far-western outlier along with Corkscrew, Panther NWF, and Picayune Strand). Granted, there are some 70,000 acres in the park, so there is not much of a chance of finding it without help...

---Prem

[mikeurquia]

prem nice job on the pics real professional god bless you and family it was a pleasure for any help ---ghost hunter

[RosieC]

Great pic. Wonderful to see

[camille1585]

That's a great photo! Is it rare for a ghost orchid to have several blooms at once?

[SP2340]

Beautiful, what an incredible plant!

[prem]

Thanks for the compliments, folks!

Camille, it is rare for a plant to have even one spike or flower (many plants go unflowered in a particular year). Two flowers is something special, three flowers is worth taking an extra trip out somewhere just to see it...more than three is an exceptional plant. The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary ghost with 12 flowers at once...that's just plain insane!

---Prem

[flhiker]

It's definitely Ghost Season in the Strand. I was there yesterday and had the pleasure of seeing many flowering and budding plants. I'm running out of picture space so I will only post a couple.

[Justin Parkkonen]

Nice photo Prem. I agree with the fact that we need to be very selective with the information given about these orchids and their location. At the same time, most everything related to the Ghost describes it as being found in the Fakahtchee (not to say that it is not found in Big Cypress and the surrounding areas. WOofFL lists it in four counties.)

From what I understand, this is going to be a banner year for Ghost blooms. Like Dave, I as well have seen many Ghosts with buds or in flower already this year. Nice photos as well Dave!

[Amanda L]

Truly stunning!! Thanks so much for sharing!!

[isurus79]

That's such a great sight! Talk about a healthy and happy plant! Do you guys ever pollinate the flowers out there? I know this is an endangered species so any help would probably be good for the species, or is this type of thing taboo? Just wondering!