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The Ghost Orchid had it's first bloom on June 23rd 2008 at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Last year the rare orchid brought visitors from all over the world when it became known that the flower existed at the sanctuary.

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A cluster of seven blooming ghost orchids hang from a bald cypress tree roughly 45 feet in the air and 150 feet away from the boardwalk in the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 in Collier County. After 12 years without a ghost orchid sighting in the preserve, a pair of bird watchers discovered unusually large cluster of nine the rare and endangered orchid while searching the swamp for owls on July 7, 2007. The endangered ghost orchid, known scientifically as Polyrrhiza lindenii, only grows in Southwest Florida and Cuba and normally blooms in clusters of one to three flowers for about two weeks. David Albers/ Staff
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Carolyn Machesney, Volunteer Naturalist at the boardwalk, marvels at the beauty of the ghost orchid at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The flower, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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(From left): Mark Schlacter, Dick Brewer and Jerry Siegel marvel the blooming ghost orchid through at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The flower, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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Jerry Siegel tries to capture the beauty of the ghost orchid through the lens of his camera at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The flower, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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A telescope is set up at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to offer visitors a better view of the ghost orchid. Typically there are one or two blooms per plant, but there can be as many as 10. Flowers are white and usually 4-1/2 to 5 inches in size. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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Jerry Siegel marvels at the beauty of the ghost orchid at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The flower, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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Rupertz Hoelzl, visiting from Germany, views the ghost orchid through the telescope at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The flower, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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Volunteer Naturalist Dick Brewer checks for blooming orchids at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The ghost orchid, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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Four days after its first bloom on June 23, this ghost orchid is barely visible to the naked eye at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Typically there are one or two blooms per plant, but there can be as many as 10. Flowers are white and usually 4-1/2 to 5 inches in size. Courtney Potter/Staff.
View photo »

A cluster of seven blooming ghost orchids hang from a bald cypress tree roughly 45 feet in the air and 150 feet away from the boardwalk in the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 in Collier County. After 12 years without a ghost orchid sighting in the preserve, a pair of bird watchers discovered unusually large cluster of nine the rare and endangered orchid while searching the swamp for owls on July 7, 2007. The endangered ghost orchid, known scientifically as Polyrrhiza lindenii, only grows in Southwest Florida and Cuba and normally blooms in clusters of one to three flowers for about two weeks. David Albers/ Staff
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Four days after its first bloom on June 23 (as shown in the photograph), this ghost orchid is barely visible to the naked eye at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Typically there are one or two blooms per plant, but there can be as many as 10. Flowers are white and usually 4-1/2 to 5 inches in size. Courtney Potter/Staff.
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Rupert Hoelzl observe the blooming ghost orchid at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Friday. The flower, which is native to Southwest Florida and Cuba, is growing on the trunk of a 400-500 year-old Bald Cypress tree at the sanctuary and can bloom up to three times in a season. The event attracts orchid enthusiasts from all over the world. Courtney Potter/Staff.
View photo »

Four days after its first bloom on June 23, this ghost orchid is barely visible to the naked eye at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Typically there are one or two blooms per plant, but there can be as many as 10. Flowers are white and usually 4-1/2 to 5 inches in size.
View photo »