Orchids can absorb micro-nutrients through leaves, mostly at night when the pores or stomata on the underside of leaves are open. Micro-nutrients can enhance growth and blooming and are best fed through the leaves, rather than roots, as they cannot be transported efficiently from the roots.
The orchid harvests and collects energy through its leaves. It will then convert that energy into usable sugar and nutrients. The more hours of high quality light exposure, the more the orchid is able to collect and store energy for activities such as root and leaf growth and bloom production.
One more inquiry we ran across in our research was “What are orchids?”.
Orchids are amongst the most beautiful flowers of the entire plant kingdom, combining exotic looks with a diverse set of characteristics. Orchids are exquisite plants, comprising over 30,000 different species and over 200,000 hybrid varieties–making orchids one of the two largest families of plants in the world.
In their natural habitats, both monopodial and sympodial orchids reproduce just like other plants: they’re pollinated by insects and they naturally disperse seeds. Undoubtedly, orchid blooms are ornate and fascinating; but an orchid’s flowers aren’t simply decorative.
Typically, orchids develop their intricate blooms in the shape of the insect they hope to attract. When an insect mistakes the orchid for a mate, it visits the flower, picks up the orchid’s pollen, and flies away when it realizes it was mistaken.
Do Orchids need air to grow?
Orchids roots, and eventually the entire plant, will die if they do not get air and this is the reason that, with the exception of a few terrestrial varieties, orchids do not grow in soil. Orchid potting media should be open, with exceptionally good drainage, yet capable of holding sufficient moisture to support the plant’s needs.
Approximately 70 percent of all orchids are epiphytes, plants that grow on other plants. Epiphytic orchids are largely confined to the tropics and subtropics, where day length and the aspect of the sun vary little with the seasons and temperature ranges are generally stable and above freezing.
What are the basket roots of an orchid?
Orchids in the genus Catasetum develop masses of fine, rigid, vertical “basket” or “nest” roots around their bases. These roots trap and concentrate leaves and other organic debris around the plants, creating miniature compost heaps that give the plants an advantage in the competition for food.
Do orchids like direct or indirect sunlight?
Many orchids enjoy indirect sunlight: direct sunlight cases them to burn, while not enough creates a plant that doesn’t flower. Place your orchid near a south or east facing window. A west facing window may provide too much sunlight and a north facing window may not provide enough.