Rare ghost orchid in bloom at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

COURTESY PHOTO A rare ghost orchid growing on an ancient bald cypress tree. A rare ghost orchid growing on an ancient bald cypress tree at Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples is in bloom for the third consecutive summer, this time with 10 buds that will likely produce blooms visible from the Audubon sanctuary's boardwalk through the end of July and perhaps well into August. Blooms are difficult to see with the naked eye, so binoculars are recommended.

The plant bloomed three times in the summer of 2007, the first time with 12 blossoms, the second time with 10 and the third time with three. Last year, it bloomed again three separate times. Area biologists have nicknamed this specimen the Super Ghost, since typically ghost orchids might have between one and three blossoms per year, if they bloom at all.

"People are fascinated by orchids, and the ghost orchid is one of the rarest specimens," said Ed Carlson, executive director of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. "The appeal of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary ghost orchid is that it is visible from our public boardwalk, and this particular plant has a history of displaying multiple flowers at once and blooming multiple times in succession, which gives people more of a chance to get to Naples and see it."

For those interested in coming to see the ghost orchid, many Naples and Everglades City area hotels are offering special rates and packages especially for ghost orchid enthusiasts. For information about hotel and local restaurant deals especially for orchid lovers, visit the area Convention Visitors Bureau's special orchid deals Web page www. paradisecoast.com/ ghostorchid or call for information at 1-800- 688-3600.

The ghost orchid (Polyrrhiza lindenii) is an extremely rare, epiphytic orchid that grows without leaves on the trunks of trees in a small concentrated area of Southwest Florida.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is located just northeast of Naples, 15 miles from I-75 on Immokalee Road (Exit 111). Hours are 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. until Sept. 30 with the last guests admitted by 6:30 p.m. each day. Cost: adults, $10; full-time college student with photo ID, $6; National Audubon Society member with ID card, $5; student (6-18 years old), $4; children younger than 6, free. Visitors are advised to call the sanctuary at (239) 348-9151 for daily updates on the flower's status.