Peristeria elata

[Yug]

Finally got this one to bloom; you gotta starve it during the cooler months. Otherwise, you get vegetative growth, but it never makes an inflorescence. This is also called the 'dove' orchid, or 'Holy Ghost' orchid because of the appearance of a dove inside the petals. Blooms are larger than a ping pong ball yet smaller than a golf ball. Smells like spearmint gum. Overall it is over 4 ft.

[Chris in Hamilton]

I'd heard of this one but never sen it. Very nice!

[Sheryl]

That's very interesting Yug! Pretty flower!

[ksriramkumar]

Looks very nice. Nicely bloomed.

[Yug]

Mucho Mahalo's!

[paphioboy]

Very pretty. I think I have to starve mine... But other local growers here bloom theirs successfully without a prolonged dry rest.. hmm

[Marlene]

Very beautiful! I love it!

[Yug]

Very pretty. I think I have to starve mine... But other local growers here bloom theirs successfully without a prolonged dry rest.. hmm

Have this in semi-hydro, and it just gave me vegetative growth if it never got a rest period; bigger leaves and p-bulbs. I'd see photos of blooming ones on-line, and think "mine is considerably larger than that one, with leaves easily longer than 4 ft, but why doesn't mine give any blooms?" After seeing this for about 3 years or so, I withheld any fertilizer beginning around Nov, and kept the liquid level very low. About late Feb I saw two sprouts of something from under the largest p-bulb. I figured it was just 2 new sets of leaves. One looked a little strange, though, and after it was about 3 1/2 inches long, I could see it was more tubular looking. I began increasing the water, and gave very little fertilizer. As it grew it was obvious one growth was a set of leaves, and one was a young inflorescence. It kept getting longer, and after it topped 3 ft, I could make out some small buds near the top. What you see now is the beginning of the blooming season for this one. The blooms open in succession, and just keep that up for I don't know how long. Even though the leaves on the last p-bulb are still green, I'm thinking that you are supposed to lop those off just like you would for a phaius because the plant just wastes energy keeping those going, and that by cutting them, the new leaves get all the energy. Mine are about 18 inches, and growing pretty fast.

[zainal abidin]

As Li said they can flower relatively very easy here but not P. pendula and P.gutata. the scent also fresh.

[Costas]

'dove' orchid - hard to believe but it really does look like a dove is in the flower