Tucked away in shaded, south-facing woodland slopes is a delicate, strange white plant that is as mysterious as it is elusive. In fact, the Phantom Orchid is so rare that the Land Conservancy of British Columbia, working with the Ministry of Environment, has issued a press release urging the public not to pick the orchid if they see it.

Currently, B.C. Conservation Corps staff is surveying the plant in an effort to get an accurate picture of its growth and more background on its unique habitat needs. In B.C., the orchid is at the northern extent of its range and it is only found in parts of south western Vancouver Island, the southern Gulf islands, and the Upper Fraser Valley, including areas around Sumas, Mission, and the Chilliwack district where it has been found south of Cultus Lake, Ryder Lake and Promontory. Threats include habitat loss through subdivision development and forestry and native plant gathering.

According to the Ministry’s brochure “Have You Seen the Phantom?” the orchid is a perennial that grows up to 65 cm tall and has 2-5 bract-like leaves. At the top of the plant is a cluster of fragrant flowers. One petal on each flower has a sac-like ‘lip’ with a distinctive yellow gland inside. Unlike many green plants that get their energy from chlorophyll, the orchid is a saprophyte, relying on decaying plant and animal matter to get its nutrients. Its whiteness fades to a yellowish hue with age.

The haunting whiteness of the Phantom Orchid isn’t something that can be duplicated by cultivation; nor can the plant be gathered and put in a vase at home. It will immediately die. What makes this plant so enigmatic is its interrelationship with underground roots and fungus, the ecology of which is still only poorly understood. It appears to be associated with mature coniferous or deciduous forest stands, is also found with birch trees, and frequently grows in limestone.

“Not much is known about the orchid,” said Ross Vennesland, Senior Ecosystems Biologist, Species at Risk. “We are still unclear on which tree species it prefers but it is possibly birch. It seems to be a three-way relationship between trees, fungi, and the orchid. It’s not clear how large the fungi is below the ground. Some fungi get really big, one hundred metres across from the surface of the ground. They network like a spider web.”

When Jason Osterhold discovered the plant on his acreage eight years ago he was delighted. Mr. Osterhold, owner of The Wild Bird Habitat Store in Chilliwack, lives in Ryder Lake where he takes great pride in maintaining his land in its undisturbed state for the orchid and for birds.

“I’m interested in all natural history,” he emphasized. “I was definitely excited when I found the plant on my property.”

Mr. Vennesland is hoping that other people will share his enthusiasm if they find stands of the orchid and report locations to the Ministry. “This (survey) research is crucial to the long term protection of this rare plant because we currently do not have good information on where they occur or the health of the populations,” he said.

“The public can be of great assistance by reporting locations to the Ministry. We have recently lost some plants to collectors which is sad because there is no way to grow this plant outside of its native habitat due to the extensive below ground relationship it has with trees and a fungus.”

If you see this plant, or know where it is growing, contact Mr. Vennesland at the Environment Ministry 604-582-5200 or The Land Conservancy 604-733-2313.