Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, near Naples, Florida, says five rare ghost orchids have bloomed in a spot where they are visible from Corkscrew’s boardwalk with binoculars or a spotting scope. The orchids are 50 feet up on an ancient bald cypress tree in Corkscrew’s old growth forest, less than a mile from the entrance. The ghost orchid, subject of Susan Orlean’s book "The Orchid Thief" and the movie "Adaptation," is rarely seen by the public because it usually grows deep in south Florida's swamps, and biologists don't like to publicize the location for fear of theft. Corkscrew’s staff is on “orchid watch” and publishes updates here.
Photo: Chuck McCartney/Miami Herald file
