They may be found on branches, trunks, and other structures. While epiphytes may live on other plants, they are not parasites. An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water in marine environments or from debris accumulating around it.
Epiphytes provide a rich and diverse habitat for other organisms including animals, fungi, bacteria, and myxomycetes. Since they do not have roots in the ground, they have to be efficient in collecting rain and nutrients. Epiphytes form dense root systems that have a large surface area, enabling the plants to absorb rainfall.
Epiphytes Adaptations and Characteristics Epiphytes are well adapted to suit their requirements. There is a shortage of water and nutrients at the canopy of the forest, to overcome these, epiphytes are well adapted to capture the nutrients and water present in the air, from the debris of trees and rain.
In fact, many plants used in interior gardening are epiphytes because they have few nutrients and water requirements. Among orchids, we wanted to highlight a species known for a different reason: the vanilla Vanilla planifolia , native to Mexico and Central America, where it was consumed with cocoa.
It was imported to Reunion island and Madagascar currently first world producers by the Spaniards when they discovered their amazing flavor. The vanilla crops imitate their naturally grow on trees, and vanilla plants are not grown on ground, but on logs. The part of the vanilla plant that is consumed is the still immature fruit, after a curing process.
Orchids have one of the most complex pollination systems throughout the plant world, with several cases of monospecific coevolution systems linked to insects and hummingbirds. Vanilla is another example, as it is only pollinated by Mexican native bees and hummingbirds, so pollination does not occur naturally in the cultivation areas and it must be done by hand.
Normally, women and children still practice this handmade technique pollinating each vanilla flower to get its precious fruit. Bromeliaceae includes more than 3, neotropical species, most of them epiphytic. The most species rich genera are Tillandsia , Pitcairnia , Vriesia , Aechmea and Puya The leaves of bromeliads grow in rosette facilitating the accumulation of water.
Actually, bromeliads have secondary compounds that prevent the proliferation of this mosquito eggs and larvae while the water inside the leaves creates a micro-habitat that accumulates nutrients that feed other insects, amphibians and native birds that can help fighting it. Bromeliaceae flowers have bright colors and are accompanied by showy bracts also attracting the attention of pollinators, especially hummingbirds and bats. Many bromeliads are used as ornamental plants, especially Tillandsia and Guzmania.
One of the most incredible epiphytic ferns is the staghorn fern Platycerium bifurcatum , widely used as an ornamental plant. The staghorn fern is native to Australia but is found in all tropical areas used for gardening. This fern develops two leaf shapes: the first kind is kidney-shaped and does not produce spores; its function is to anchor to the trunk. These leaves eventually acquire a brown coloration and form a base from which the second kind of leaves grow; which are fertile and therefore produce spores.
The fertile leaves are long and bifurcated and can grow up to 90 cm long. The spores of this fern are produced at the leaves apex that gain a velvet appearance. Water them in the cup at the base of the plant , which is designed to capture moisture out of misty air.
For any epiphytic plant , try to mimic the conditions of its natural habitat. Orchids grow in shredded bark and need average light and moderate moisture. Some epiphytes reproduce through pups and others from seed or vegetative action. The easiest epiphyte plant propagation is through pups, but not all varieties produce these. Seed can take years to develop recognizable plants, while cuttings on epiphytic cacti seem the best choice.
Epiphytes obtain water from rain and water vapour in the air; most absorb water with their roots, though many have specialized leaves that also take in moisture. While some minerals are obtained directly from rain, nutrients are generally absorbed from the debris that collects on the supporting plants. By growing high in the canopy of tropical forests epiphytes have solved the problem of low light but created new challenges - namely getting nutrients and conserving water. Water is the most pressing issue concerning immediate plant survival.
Some members of the Pineapple family are epiphytes while others are terrestrial. The terrestrial ones, which include pineapple , must live in soil to survive and reproduce offspring.
In addition, epiphytes are also found in other families beside bromeliads. The name orchid is applied to any plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Over 25, species of orchids exist across the world in various habitats, from tropical rainforests to deserts and polar tundra. Bromeliad is a name assigned to any plant in the bromeliad family, Bromeliaceae. Epiphytes or 'air plants ' are plants that grow on top of other plants typically trees co-existing in the most harmonious, harmless way.
They derive their nutrients and other vitals from the air, water, dust, and debris around them. Because epiphytes have adapted to live on the branches of tall trees and vines, they are able to access sunlight that plants on lower levels of a rainforest canopy cannot.
They are not rooted in the soil nor are they parasitic ie they do not directly harm the other plant. Take care not to overwater epiphytic plants since they supplement their moisture needs from the air. Humid conditions often provide all the moisture a plant will need. You can assist the plant by misting the air around it or putting the pot in a saucer of rocks filled with water. Did you find this helpful? Share it with your friends!
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