Dancing Lady Orchid

Common Name: Dancing Lady Orchid

Scientific Name: Tolumnia bahamensis

Origin: Atlantic coast of southeast Florida

Family: Orchidaceae

Bloom time: April - May

Tolumnia bahamensis, or Florida's Dancing Lady Orchid, is a state-listed endangered orchid that occupies a narrow range of rare coastal scrub habitat along the Atlantic coast of southeast Florida.

Together with Florida State Park officials, Garden staff lead efforts in population augmentation for this species within Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Seeds of native populations were collected, and plants were grown in the Garden’s Tissue Culture Lab. As a result of this project, thousands of plants have been reintroduced to this area.

The Conservation and Research Department continues to outplant seedlings and monitor plants in this area for survival. Careful habitat management in addition to these outplantings, will be critical for the future success of this species.