Ghost orchid.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien

Difficile

Type de plante

Orchid

Lumière

Dappled shade

Lumière en intérieur

Lumière vive indirecte

Arrosage

Tous les 1 à 2 jours

Taille adulte

15 to 20 centimeters

Croissance

Lente

Rusticité

USDA 10 à 11

Floraison

Mid to late summer

Entretien

This plant requires very high humidity and constant air circulation to mimic its native swamp environment. Watch for shriveling roots, which indicate the plant is not receiving enough moisture or humidity. It is best left to experienced collectors due to its specific environmental needs.

Arrosage

Keep the roots consistently moist through frequent misting or high humidity.

Engrais

Use a very dilute orchid fertilizer during the active growing season.

Taille

Only remove dead or damaged roots during the dormant period.

Rempotage

This plant should not be repotted as it requires a host tree or mount.

Sol

None, grows as an epiphyte

Température

15 à 30°C

Humidité

70 à 95%

Sécurité

Humains

There is no known toxicity, but it is not a food plant.

Enfants

The delicate roots are easily damaged by handling, so keep this plant out of reach of children.

Comestibilité

This plant is not edible and should never be consumed.

Comment l'identifier

• Leafless structure with green roots
• White flowers with long nectar spur
• Roots cling directly to tree bark
• Flowers appear to float in air

Hauteur

0,05 à 0,15m

Envergure

0,05 à 0,2m

Feuilles

deciduous

Fleurs

white, 3 à 5cm

Fruits

brown, Autumn

Problèmes courants

• Root rot — Occurs when roots remain too wet without adequate airflow.

La cultiver

Multiplication

seed

Quand planter

Spring

Always mimic the natural vertical layering of a swamp forest to provide the specific light and humidity levels required.

Bonnes associations

• Cyprès chauve — This tree provides the ideal humid, shaded bark surface for the orchid to attach.
• Fraxinus caroliniana — It often shares the same swampy habitat and provides necessary dappled light.

Espèces similaires

• Polyrrhiza lindenii — This is a synonym often used in older botanical texts for the same species.

Science

Famille

Orchidaceae

Genre

Dendrophylax

Ordre

Asparagales

Classe

Liliopsida

Région d'origine

Florida and parts of the Caribbean.

Préservation

It is listed as endangered and is protected by federal and state laws in its native range.

It survives by anchoring itself to host trees in humid swamps, absorbing moisture directly from the air.

Intérêt pour la faune

nectar source

Pollinisateurs

papillons de nuit

Utilisations

botanical curiosity, conservation display

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

Can I grow this at home?

It is extremely difficult to cultivate outside of specialized greenhouse conditions.

Does it need soil?

No, it is an epiphyte that grows attached to the bark of trees.

D'où vient le nom

The name Dendrophylax comes from Greek words meaning tree guard, while lindenii honors the Belgian explorer Jean Jules Linden.

Bon à savoir

• It is often called the ghost orchid because it appears to float in the air.
• The plant lacks leaves entirely, performing all gas exchange through its roots.
• It was famously featured in the book The Orchid Thief.
• The flowers are pollinated exclusively by the giant sphinx moth.

Aussi dans

• Plantes d'ombre