ATLANTA - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes listing the rare, swamp-dwelling ghost orchid as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. It is at risk of extinction due to multiple threats, including poaching, habitat loss, and habitat degradation. The Service is not proposing critical habitat given it would increase the threat of poaching on this species.
The ghost orchid is a flowering plant found only in Florida and western Cuba. It is one of the most famous flowers in Florida, but its population has declined to fewer than 1,000 plants in the United States. Less than half of those are mature enough to reproduce.
Poaching is the main threat to the orchid, but wetland loss and degradation have also put the orchid at risk throughout its range.
The ghost orchid grows in southwestern Florida’s Collier and Hendry counties and Cuba. It prefers deep swamps, high humidity and mild temperatures. The leafless plant attaches itself by its roots high up on trees, making its white blossoms with trailing petals appear to hover in the air.
All orchid species, including ghost orchid, are covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora treaty, which requires permits for the “trade” of plants across international borders, whether for commercial, scientific, or personal purposes. However, this treaty does not regulate any collection or movement of plants within an individual country.
The proposed rule will publish in the Federal Register on June 5, 2025, opening a 60-day public comment period ending Aug. 4, 2025. Supporting comments and instructions to submit comments are on www.regulations.gov, docket number FWS–R4–ES–2025–0022.
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