Dove Orchid: Types, Care & More

Peristeria elata Hook, commonly referred to as the Dove Orchid, or alternatively known as the Holy Ghost Orchid, is an orchid species distributed across Central America to Ecuador and Venezuela. The orchid flourishes in Panama’s distinct dry and rainy season climate, blooming from November each year until April the following year.

It is now under the protection of Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). On November 21, 1980, Panama’s congress officially designated the Dove Orchid as the national flower.

Overview

The Dove Orchid, one of the large terrestrial orchids, grows well in soil rich in organic matter. Its distribution spans Central America to Ecuador and Venezuela, thriving particularly well in Panama’s alternating dry and rainy seasons. However, it requires between three to five years to mature from a seedling and bloom.

The Dove Orchid flowers from November to April annually. Its flower stalk springs from the base of the stem, reaching lengths between 1.5 to 2 meters. The inflorescence is a spiraling panicle, with the flowers opening from the bottom to the top. The flowers are white with a delicate fragrance. When in bloom, the internal column and lip of the flower adhere closely, resembling a dove resting within, hence its name.

Morphological Features

The Dove Orchid is a perennial large deciduous herbaceous plant, its pseudobulbs arranged in dense clusters. These pseudobulbs are robust and oval-shaped, reaching heights between 4 to 12 centimeters and widths of 4 to 8 centimeters, with 3 to 5 leaves growing atop. The leaves are long and elliptical, ranging from 30 to 100 centimeters long and 6 to 14 centimeters wide, with prominent veining and a somewhat leathery texture.

The inflorescence emerges singly from the base of the pseudobulbs. The flower stalk is straight, reaching heights above 100 centimeters, with more than 10 flowers on each robust upright stalk. The inflorescence appears concurrently with the new leaves, presenting a spiraling panicle of flowers opening from bottom to top.

Each flower measures about 4 to 5 centimeters in diameter, with white, cup-shaped, fleshy petals and a mild fragrance. The column and lip inside the flower adhere closely together, resembling a dove poised for flight, hence its name. Its prime blooming period is between July and August each year.

Propagation Methods

Primarily, the Dove Orchid is propagated by division, but it can also be propagated by cutting. Large-scale propagation can be achieved through sterile sowing and tissue culture.

Division Propagation

Division propagation typically occurs before the spring buds sprout. Overcrowded pseudobulbs are dug up and either a single pseudobulb or a group of 2-3 are replanted in new pots. These can flower within the same year. The sturdy, mature pseudobulbs will sprout new buds after they naturally shed their leaves from the stem’s tip.

Alternatively, the leafless tip of the pseudobulb can be cut to stimulate the rapid sprouting of multiple new buds. Once these buds develop a root system, they can be separated from the top and planted in pots. After 2-3 years of nurturing, they can bloom.

Cutting Propagation

Besides division, cutting propagation can be performed using the flower stem. After blooming, the residual flowers along with their stems can be pruned. Cut the flower stem from the base, and carefully remove the bracts from the stem’s nodes to reveal the buds.

The cut flower stem is then buried in ceramic granules or a sand bed, maintaining a temperature of 25-30°C and a humidity above 75%. In a few months, the nodes will produce rooted seedlings which can be cut and planted separately.

Tissue Culture

After the Dove Orchid is sterilely sown, it can produce a dehiscent fruit. However, the seeds lose their germination power shortly after the fruit matures, so it is crucial to collect the fruit as soon as it matures but before it splits. For sterile sowing, the fruit pods need to be disinfected and rinsed 4-5 times with sterile water.

The seeds are then spread evenly across the culture medium, which contains Hyponex, KC, 1/2MS, and plant growth regulators (BA0.5-1mg/l+NAA0.2-2mg/l) on a 1/2MS culture medium. The medium used always includes sucrose (30g/l), peptone (3g/l), coconut juice (10%), and agar (6g/l), with a pH of 5.5-5.8 prior to autoclaving. The culture room temperature is maintained at 25°C, with a light intensity of 3000-4000 lux, for 12 hours a day.

Cultivation Techniques

Substrate

The Dove Orchid’s leaves can grow more than 100 centimeters in length. Its cultivation is very similar to terrestrial orchids and can be grown in open yards in tropical and subtropical regions. For potted plant production, use porous, large-sized plastic or clay pots. The substrate can be volcanic rocks or ceramic granules for soilless cultivation.

Alternatively, snake wood chips mixed with bark and peat soil or a mix of 1/4 bark, 3/4 sphagnum moss, and a suitable amount of charcoal granules can be used. Humus, pond mud particles, or even 1/4 volcanic rock or crushed brick mixed into regular potting soil can be used.

When potting, do not bury the pseudobulb in the plant material. The correct method is to first fill the pot halfway with the substrate, place the plant, and then fill the rest of the pot with substrate until the base of the pseudobulb. After compacting the plant material and watering thoroughly, the pot should be placed in a well-ventilated semi-shaded location.

Temperature

To successfully cultivate the Dove Orchid (Peristeria elata Hook), it is necessary to replicate its native environmental conditions. During summer, the orchid thrives best in temperatures ranging from 21°C to 33°C, while in winter, it prefers a cooler range of 5°C to 7°C. An ambient temperature exceeding 35°C can hinder the orchid’s growth.

As the winter temperature drops below 10°C, its leaves begin to fall off, signaling the start of the leaf-shedding dormant phase. Only by ensuring a fully restful period in a moderate-to-low temperature environment, with minimum night temperatures not below 5°C and maximum day temperatures not exceeding 20°C, can the orchid be coaxed to bud in the following spring.

While maintaining a certain degree of coolness is crucial, the pseudobulbs must not freeze. By controlling the minimum nighttime temperature to stay above 5°C and placing the plant in sunlight during the day, it can successfully overwinter. Alternatively, the pseudobulbs can be excavated and stored indoors at a room temperature of 5°C to overwinter, and then repotted when the temperature rises above 15°C in the spring.

Lighting

Dove Orchids prefer partial shade. When grown in greenhouses for commercial pot flower production, a semi-shaded environment is recommended. Excessive sunlight can cause leaf scorch or slow growth, but too much shade makes the plant weak and leggy, inhibiting flowering. Thus, during spring, summer, and autumn, it’s beneficial to expose the orchid to morning and evening sunlight, while using a 50%-60% shading net around noon.

Moisture

Dove Orchids thrive in humid environments and require ample water and high air humidity. Therefore, daily observation is essential to maintain the planting material in a slightly moist state. However, avoid overwatering or waterlogging, as it can lead to root rot.

During the dry, hot periods of summer and autumn, watering should be done by misting to maintain air humidity and prevent dryness. During the winter dormancy, the plant should be slightly dry, but not left unwatered. After thorough drying, watering should saturate the substrate, although room temperature should not be too low. The quality of the water used for irrigation should not be too acidic or alkaline; tap water is best stored in a tank for 1-3 days before watering.

Fertilizer

During the sprouting of new shoots and leaves, when the plant is most vigorous, it should be fertilized in conjunction with watering. Be careful not to over-fertilize, as excessive concentration can harm the roots. A diluted fertilizer solution less concentrated than the recommended amount is preferable.

Generally, apply a diluted cake fertilizer once every half-month or apply a small amount of slow-release granular compound flower fertilizer around the pot every two months. If using chemical fertilizers, a 30:10:10 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at 2000 times dilution is advisable, and can be applied weekly.

In autumn, which is the pseudobulb enlargement period, reduce nitrogen fertilizer application and switch to a 10:30:20 fertilizer, which aids in the maturation of the pseudobulbs and promotes bud formation. Additionally, spray the plant every half month with a 1000-2000 times diluted solution of monopotassium phosphate or Huabao, to accumulate nutrients in the plant, thereby enhancing its overwintering and cold resistance.

National Flower of Panama

On November 21, 1980, the Congress of Panama declared the Dove Orchid as its national flower, known in Spanish as Espíritu Santo, meaning the “Holy Spirit”. The flower, pure and untouched by pollution, is seen as a peace envoy sent by God. The orchid’s significance to Panama is uniquely shaped by the country’s distinct geographical location and its historical context of long-term Spanish and Colombian rule.

Panama, a major exporter of native orchids in Central and South America, has also seen its Dove Orchids exported worldwide due to commercial trade in the past. As the orchid holds high economic value, local farmers extensively harvested it for sale. This practice not only disrupted the original ecosystem but also led to a considerable decrease in the plant’s population in the wild.

Conservation

The Dove Orchid is protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Concurrently, the Panamanian government has also taken steps to protect it by cultivating the orchid within national park protected areas to prevent human harvesting and trading.

In the Fifth Agricultural Zone in Cabira City, a superior Dove Orchid mother plant area has been established. An adequately equipped tissue culture laboratory and an appropriate propagation cultivation environment have also been set up. Training for staff, including propagation and cultivation rehabilitation techniques, has been enhanced.

Main Value

The Dove Orchid has a long flowering period, with each flower blooming sequentially from the bottom up. Each bloom has a diameter of approximately 4-5 cm, is white in color, and has a faint fragrance. This endows it with considerable ornamental value.