Dove Orchid

Did you know

• Inside each waxy white flower sits a tiny structure that looks startlingly like a white dove with outstretched wings, giving the plant its common name.
• It is the national flower of Panama, where it is known as 'la flor del Espíritu Santo' — the Flower of the Holy Spirit.
• Overcollection from the wild has made it endangered in its native habitat; it is listed on CITES Appendix I, making international trade illegal.
• The large, pleated leaves can reach three feet long, and the pseudobulbs can swell to the size of a grapefruit in well-grown specimens.
• In Panama, legend holds that the dove inside the flower is a divine messenger and the plant blooms during Holy Week as a sign of blessing.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental
• cultural symbol