Canelo Hills Ladies’ Tresses Conservation: Collection, Cultivation, and Canines

The Canelo Hills ladies’ tresses orchid (Spiranthes delitescens) is among the rarest orchids in North America, with only about 200 known individuals remaining in just two wild populations. For nearly a decade, the Desert Botanical Garden has led efforts to conserve this critically endangered species through seed banking, propagation, and an innovative approach involving ecological scent detection dogs. This presentation will highlight the Garden’s ongoing and future efforts to protect this rare orchid—and how the dogs are also being used to assist in cactus conservation efforts.