Home Garden

In nature many orchid species are epiphytes. This means that they anchor themselves to trees to expose themselves to air movement, light and moisture. What is more precise is to say that they anchor themselves by means of their roots and actually just hold on to the outside of the tree for support. They do not even enter the bark in their search for nutrients. Parasites would be invasive, orchids does not exhibit such habits. Due to its epiphytic nature, orchids can be grown and cultivated in pots or baskets with bark chips, or can be mounted on a piece of bark or any suitable substrate. The orchids require that their roots be exposed to the air for respiration and to absorb water and whatever possible nutrients may wash down the side of the tree or mount when it rains.
Furthermore, apart from the epiphytic orchids there are also terrestrial and semi-terrestrial (or epi-terrestrial) orchids which grow in the ground.
And let us not forget about the saprophytic orchids. These orchids do not have their own chlorophyll and thus cannot obtain energy from the sunlight. Instead they are dependent on a root system covered with small fungi, which make certain nutrients available to them by breaking down dead plant remains. The fungi also derive benefit from this association. They in turn get sugar from the roots of the orchid. Saprophytic orchids bears some of the most beautiful flowers, but are the most difficult to cultivate. Parasites – Orchids, No way.