Ghost orchid.

At a glance

Care level

Difficult

Plant type

Orchid

Light

Dappled shade

Indoor light

Bright indirect

Water

Every 1 to 2 days

Mature size

15 to 20 centimeters

Growth rate

Slow

Hardiness

USDA 10 to 11

Bloom time

Mid to late summer

Care

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.

Watering

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

Feeding

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

Pruning

Only remove dead or damaged roots during the dormant period.

Repotting

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

Soil

None, grows as an epiphyte

Temperature

15 to 30°C

Humidity

70 to 95%

Safety

People

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

Children

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

Edibility

This plant is not edible and should never be consumed.

How to identify it

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

Height

0.05 to 0.15m

Spread

0.05 to 0.2m

Leaves

deciduous

Flowers

white, 3 to 5cm

Fruit

brown, Autumn

Problems to watch for

• DehydrationCommon
• Root RotCommon
• Fungus GnatsUncommon
• Scale InsectsUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

Spring

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

Grows well with

• Bald Cypress · This tree provides the ideal humid, shaded bark surface for the orchid to attach.
• Pop Ash · It often shares the same swampy habitat and provides necessary dappled light.

Similar species

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

Science

Family

Orchidaceae

Genus

Dendrophylax

Order

Asparagales

Class

Liliopsida

Native range

Florida and parts of the Caribbean.

Conservation

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.

Value to wildlife

nectar source

Pollinators

moths

Uses

botanical curiosity, conservation display

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

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.

Where the name comes from

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

Good to know

• 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 mainly by large sphinx moths, including the giant sphinx and the fig sphinx.

Also in

• Plants for shade