subject: Know Your Types of Orchid [print this page] Though there are thousands upon thousands of species of orchids and thousands more hybrids, there are just two fundamental orchid types. They are the terrestrial orchid and epiphyte orchid. Terrestrial orchids grow on the ground and epiphytes grow above ground.
A terrestrial orchid means that it's limited to growing in the ground or "earthbound", and the nutrients it survives on are gotten from the soil via its root system. Some terrestrial orchids are classified as "semi-terrestrial" because they not only have the ability to live on the ground, but also have above ground roots. The Cymbidium orchid, for instance, has roughly 40 species and thousands of hybrids also. The Cymbidium orchid was also one of the earliest orchids to be cultivated. And it's a perfect example of a semi-terrestrial orchid as it can found on the ground but also on trees and rocks. This particular orchid comes from the tropical climate found in Asia and Japan, and is also quite prevalent in Australia. In the same vein as the Phaleanopsis, the Cymbidium orchid is popular due to the fact that it's quite easy to grow and maintain.
The term "epiphyte" isn't actually exclusive to orchids in any way. It actually applies to any type of plant that uses a "host" as physical support. An epiphyte then gets its sustenance from the organic matter that forms between itself and its "host" partner. The most well known epiphyte orchid is the Dendrobium and boasts over 1200 species. Although not hard to grow, they do require a little more looking after than the Cymbidium or the Phaleanopsis, and they don't flower as easily and as regularly either. The native habitat of the Dendrobium species is that of India, Asia, Australia and the 1000 islands in Oceania that are known as Polynesia. Since their acclimatized to tropical conditions, the Dendrobium does require a humid environment to grow in. If you implement an artificial high-humidity environment they are not at all difficult to grow. See Guidelines for Watering Orchids for further information on setting up a high-humidity environment. The Dendrobium is a stunning specimen and is quite often seen at weddings due to their amazing spectrum of colors.
As mentioned, the orchids that are classed as "epiphytes" sustain themselves by attaching to a host, but does not actually acquire its nutritional content from its said host. In the most usual case, they first adhere themselves to a tree by using their roots to cling to the branches or bark. The organic matter that builds up between the roots and the host's surface is what's used as its nutrients. This build up then acts as a reserve for the wet and dry seasons. These roots are extremely strong and fibrous and the core is encircled by a spongelike casing that is designed for absorbing and retaining moisture. While it rains, the casing soaks as much moisture as it can, and when totally saturated, turns a light green color. This moisture is then kept by the roots which slowly distribute it to the plant tissues. The same technique is employed by some epiphytes to cling to rocks. Because epiphytes hang from trees or stick to rocks, and are used to filtered light through the forest canopy, they prefer conditions that are open and airy.
