Tropical rainforest is not only considered the green lung of the earth. The huge forest areas on both sides of the equator provide us with fascinating orchids for our windowsills. In order to properly care for the queen of flowers as a houseplant, the conditions in the natural location should be known. Follow us here on a journey through the home of orchids.
How do orchids live in the tropical rainforest?
Orchids in the rainforest thrive as epiphytes on trees to receive enough sunlight. They have aerial roots that absorb rainwater and nutrients, and bulbs to store water and nutrients in dry times.
Primeval forest giants serve as a throne for the royal flowers
Tropical rainforest is characterized by a warm, humid climate with little fluctuation between day and night temperatures. The typical storey structure made up of mighty trees, medium-sized and small plants means that there is perpetual twilight on the ground. Over the course of their long evolution, orchids have developed this clever strategy to still receive enough sunlight for photosynthesis:
- Orchids thrive epiphytically as epiphytes on trees
- Near the crown under the canopy, they cling to the branches with part of their roots
- Aerial roots capture rain to transmit water and nutrients to the leaves
While in some regions of the tropics rain falls every day, in other regions there is an alternation between rainy and dry seasons. So that the orchids there do not starve during the dry season, they have bulbs as storage organs. Water and nutrients can be stored here for bad times.
Inferences for care – How to simulate natural conditions
Have you familiarized yourself with the conditions that a tropical rainforest offers orchids? This then results in these central care measures:
- A bright location without direct sun with room temperatures without major fluctuations
- Water sparingly and spray daily with soft rainwater or decalcified tap water
- Pamper yourself with liquid orchid fertilizer (€7.00 on Amazon) every 4 weeks from May to September
So that the aerial roots receive enough light, please place an orchid in a transparent culture pot. Choose a coarse orchid substrate made from pine bark, sphagnum and lava granules.
Tip
Tropical rainforest is not the only habitat for orchids. Some survivors of this multifaceted plant family have chosen the forests in Germany as their home. These include species such as orchids (Orchis) and forest hyacinths (Platanthera). You can even come across a lady's slipper orchid in the field and forest, because the Cypripedium calceolus thrives here as a hardy and perennial.
