Orchid Types – How Are They Classified?
The orchid family is composed of thousands of species and hybrids. They are divided into two orchid types: the terrestrial and epiphytic orchids. The terrestrial orchids are ground based while the epiphytes also called aerial orchids grow on trees, poles and rocks.
Terrestrial orchids grow in soil or a combination of soil, rotten wood and leaves. They have roots that grow underground like most plants however, some are what is called semi-terrestrial orchids. These have aerial roots as well as their normal in ground roots. Semi-terrestrial orchids feed from the air, by absorbing air nutrients and moisture, as well as from the soil and soil fungi. One of the first species that have been domesticated, Cymbidium orchids, are a semi-terrestrial orchid group that consists of 40 species and thousands of hybrids that can live both in the ground and on trees or rocks. They originate from Southeast Asia to Japan and Australia. The Cymbidiums thrive in a medium composed of decayed wood and leaves, rotten tree bark or coconut husk chips. Being easy to care for has made Cymbidium orchids a first choice for people starting off with orchid growing. They are very rewarding as they produce wonderful flowers when cared for according to their needs.
Epiphytic orchids, unlike common plants, have their root systems above ground. The name epiphyte is also used for other plants that have aerial root systems, it is not a term specific to orchids. Of the epiphytic orchids the Dendrobiums, with more than 1000 species, are the most commonly known. They naturally grow in the tropical regions of Australia, South East Asia, Northern India and Polynesia. They can adapt to grow in different habitats, but as Dendrobiums originate from tropical regions, they prefer warm and humid environments and need to be kept moist. Also they require more attention than Cymbidiums and are trickier to get to flower regularly. And then there are the Moth orchids, officially called Phalaenopsis, which are another group of orchid epiphytes. Moth orchids are popular house plants because of their long-lasting blooms that they can produce several times a year while still being relatively easy to grow.
Epiphytic orchids like to attach themselves with their fleshy roots to trees but the roots don’t take nutrients from the tree or harm their host. They absorb their nutrients from the broken down organic matter that settles in between their roots and on the tree and from the air. Rain water is absorbed easily by a spongy off-white outside layer that hides a stringy root core. The complex root system can handle rapid water and nutrient absorption. Epiphytic orchids have stems, pseudo bulbs or bulbs which also work as storage to help the plant survive in the dry season when the retained moisture in the roots will be released gradually to the plant tissues. Instead of growing on tree trunks, some epiphytes may also grow on rock surfaces. Epiphytes thrive in filtered light and open, airy positions. It is easy to tell if an epiphytic orchid is fully saturated as its color turns to light green.
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