Seven epiphytes for growing at home. epiphyte plants

There are many interesting things in the plant world. Some of its representatives catch and eat insects. Others climbed on their own kind to survive. This is what an epiphyte does - a plant that had to fight for life in difficult conditions. Thanks to this method of survival, epiphytes were able to get more air, light and protect themselves from animals. But at the same time, they do not harm their "home", if there are not too many of them on it.

Where do epiphytic plants grow?

For a comfortable existence, they choose trunks or even leaves of trees. Epiphytic plants are abundant in tropical forests. The latter are dense thickets that do not allow sunlight to penetrate to the very soil. Therefore, plants that, for a number of reasons, were not able to grow a strong tree trunk, which could serve as a support for them and raise foliage higher, tried to survive in another way. They had to reach for the sunlight with the help of their brethren. Epiphytic plants climbed up the trunks and branches of trees. They did this not only in but also everywhere where there were not enough living conditions, for example, in shady spruce forests or mountain crevices. If in the tropics an epiphyte is a herbaceous plant, then in rocks and coniferous forests it is mosses, ferns or lichens.

Multi-storey building

In the tropics, these representatives of the flora can choose the layer on which they will settle. Some of them are shade-loving and do not rise high. They don't need a lot of sunlight. Others need it, so they climb higher. On the highest "floors" epiphyte plants grow only if they can withstand adverse conditions: low humidity, windiness, fluctuations in air temperature, nutrient deficiencies.

If it doesn't work otherwise

How do they survive, not being able to get everything they need for growth and life from the soil? The fact is that an epiphyte is a plant that actively uses everything that the environment gives it: it collects rainwater, dew, organic matter from the surface of the supporting plant, and the waste products of birds and animals. Epiphytes do this in different ways, depending on which they have a different structure. Some of them collect moisture and can accumulate it up to 5 liters, due to the fact that they are shaped like a rosette. Others have pocket-shaped or funnel-shaped leaves, which also accumulate moisture. Still others try to retain water by forming a “nest” around them from the fallen leaves of other plants and various waste products of the living world.

Reproduction of epiphytes

We know several ways of reproduction of representatives of the flora. But not all of them are suitable for epiphytic plants. They chose the most popular and easiest way - propagation by seeds, which fly with the help of wind from tree to tree. In some species they are small and light, in others they have special adaptations to facilitate air travel. Sometimes the seeds of epiphytes are carried by animals or plants. It happens that these plants accidentally find themselves in a new place for them. This happens when they are carried by animals or birds. Tillandsia has an interesting way of moving. This plant attaches itself to a tree by sending down its long, light sprouts, which are easily torn off by the wind and end up on another tree.

Gotta hold on

To quickly gain a foothold and start growing on a new support, epiphytes have the ability to quickly grow roots. Even the smallest ones cling to a trunk or a branch, sometimes encircling them, as if tying the plant so that it cannot budge. It is interesting that the roots of epiphytes play the role of holders, and many of them have lost the ability to absorb nutrients, but they provide an additional function of the roots of epiphytes - protective. They often grow sharp spikes, preventing them from being plucked or eaten by their owner. However, there are certain types of insects for which this is not a hindrance, and they destroy leaves and roots (for example, tropical ants).

Epiphytes: examples of plants

Let's get acquainted with Phalaenopsis orchids. About her appearance says the translation of her name - "like a butterfly." This beautiful flower grows in Australia, New Guinea, South and Southeast Asia, as well as on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Its homeland is forests with high humidity and air temperature. For life, he chooses the uppermost branches of trees, for which he clings to the roots. Its large fleshy leaves contribute to the accumulation of water. And at night it stores carbon dioxide.

The platicerium is also called the "antler". This fern grows on trees in the tropics. In nature, it reaches gigantic proportions. There are several varieties of this plant, but they all look like leaves that resemble flat or moose. But at the same time, other leaves grow on the platicerium. They have a concave shape and serve to collect organic matter. The horn-shaped leaves are covered with a silvery down, which also captures nutrients from the air and helps the life of the fern.

Interestingly, an epiphyte is a plant that can be grown at home. People fell in love with them for their decorativeness and unpretentiousness. For example, the platicerium is placed in the shade, the temperature is observed, periodically sprayed, and it pleases its owners with an unusual look.

What epiphyte plants grow in our house

Another tropical inhabitant who settled in our apartments is Veresia. It has brightly colored leaves. It needs diffused light to maintain it. It is interesting that they water the veresia by pouring water into the outlet, which experienced plant growers recommend blotting with a napkin from time to time to fill it with fresh moisture. Interestingly, although veresia is an epiphyte, it is planted in the ground at room conditions.

The soil and leaves are recommended to be sprayed to maintain moisture. Just like other similar plants, veresia is fed by spraying the leaves, since its roots are weak and not able to fully absorb nutrients.

To see the Veresia flower, it must be kept in a warm place. And if this does not help, then one unusual way will help speed up flowering. It is necessary to put a ripe fruit near the pot, preferably a banana. It will release ethylene gas, which promotes flowering.

Not like everyone else

Another home resident who is settled in the soil is the ripsalis cactus. It doesn't look like what we can imagine. It does not have a round or oval shape and is not covered with spines. Rhipsalis is a bunch of thin long stems descending down. They are covered with hairs and have a diameter of only 1-3 mm. This one in winter. All shoots at this time are covered with small white or pinkish funnel-shaped flowers. Ripsalis care is not difficult. The main thing is to choose a suitable place so that it is not hot and not dry. In general, the limitation for growing epiphytes at home is the impossibility of creating suitable conditions. In order for it to be successful, a person continues to explore and study their life in nature.

The world of epiphytic plants is large and diverse. It is impossible to cover all of them in one article. They not only set an example of survival in difficult conditions, teach not to give up and fight for life to the end, but also decorate the Earth. It is not for nothing that representatives of the class of epiphytes - orchids - have penetrated to us from distant tropical countries and have become one of the most beloved flowers.

Epiphytes use other plants as a support and, with a large population, can harm it. Although the word "epiphytes" is translated as "nadrevniki", epiphytes are found not only among terrestrial plants, but also among algae.

Epiphytes are most common in tropical humid climates. They grow in areas overgrown with trees and are a model of high adaptability to growing conditions. Settling on trees, epiphytes do not depend on the presence of soil, they have the opportunity to be closer to the light source, and herbivores eat them less.

Epiphytes of the tropical zone are orchids and plants of the Bromelaceae family. Epiphytes mosses and lichens are common in the temperate and arctic zones. There are also epiphytes among aroid, commeline, lily, ferns, club mosses and other plants.

In the photo: Epiphytic plant orchid Vanda (Vanda)

Due to the lack of habitat, epiphytes have a number of adaptations for obtaining nutrients and water. So in most orchids these are aerial roots of silver color, the surface layer of which is called velamen. They have a porous surface, which, like a filter, absorbs moisture from the air and supplies it to the plant. The aerial roots of some orchids, when moving from dry to humid air, can increase their mass by 11% per day. Aerial roots of other epiphytes grow to the soil and penetrate into it, turning into ordinary ones. The roots of other orchids, on the contrary, in search of food, can grow upwards if there the source of their vital energy is located.

In Commeline, the suction role is played by hairs that cover the surface of the roots and give them a velvety texture. Plants of the bromeliad family form a rosette of leaves that tightly cover each other, forming at the base a kind of bowls into which rainwater is collected. Remains of leaves, dust, insects drowned in water also fall into the bowls and rot there. Subsequently, this nutrient mass is absorbed by the plant.

It is worth noting that our northern epiphytes - lichens, settling on the trunk and thick branches of a tree, do not harm it under normal conditions for the development of a tree. However, with slow growth, the thin branches of the tree are also colonized with lichen, which interferes with the breathing of the tree, thereby harming it.

Some epiphytes settle on leaves, they are called epiphylls. Plants that use roots only for fixing are called aerophytes, settling on stones - lithophytes.

In the photo: An epiphytic plant of the Bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae) Guzmania (Guzmania)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The best-known epiphytes are mosses, lichens, orchids, and members of the Bromeliad family, but epiphytes can be found in almost any plant taxonomic group; moreover, the term "epiphyte" is often used for bacteria as well. The richest and most developed communities of epiphytes are found in tropical forests (especially in humid ones), but mosses and lichens are fairly common epiphytes of the temperate and even arctic climatic zone.

Classification according to the nature of adaptation to the conditions of existence

In 1888, the German botanist Schimper compiled a classification in which he divided epiphytes into four groups: protoepiphytes, nested and staple (pocket) epiphytes, reservoir (cistern) epiphytes, semi-epiphytes.

• Protoepiphytes are the least specialized group of epiphytes. They are only marginally protected from periodic droughts and lack of soil. Protoepiphytes do not have special structures for collecting water. Many protoepiphytes have features characteristic of xeromorphic plants. Most epiphytic plants belonging to this group have fleshy (succulent) leaves that can retain some moisture. Such leaves are common in some Peperomia, Lastovnia, Gesneria.
  Some liana-like epiphytes store water in thick, fleshy stems. In many orchids, one or more internodes of the stem thicken greatly, turning into a kind of above-ground tubers (tuberidia).
• Nest and staple (pocket) epiphytes have devices that allow the accumulation of various organic residues, which eventually turn into humus and provide the plant with nutrition.
  In nesting epiphytes, which include many ferns, aroids and orchids, the roots form a densely intertwined mass, vaguely resembling a bird's nest. Dead leaves and other plant residues, falling from above, linger in this trap and, gradually accumulating, turn into humus.
  In some staple epiphytes, all or part of the leaves adjacent to the tree trunk form peculiar funnels, or pockets. Humus gradually accumulates in them. The leaves from which the pocket is formed vaguely resemble parentheses in the context. The most famous representative of staple epiphytes is the deer horn fern ( Platycerium bifurcatum).
• Reservoir (cistern) epiphytes most adapted to life on other plants. They are found only among species of the bromeliad family. Typical bromeliads, for example Aechmea fasciata, have long stiff leaves, collected in a rosette forming a small bowl-shaped reservoir. In some plants, it can contain up to 5 liters of water.
  The flora and fauna of reservoirs inside bromeliads is extremely peculiar and plentiful. For example, some Brazilian species of pemphigus are found only in bromeliads.
• Semiepiphytes begin their existence as true epiphytes - high on a tree, but then, developing long aerial roots, they reach the soil and take root in it. This is how many large aroids, ficuses and a number of representatives of other families grow.

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Notes

Literature

• Artsikhovsky V. M.,.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Epiphytes- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.

An excerpt characterizing Epiphytes

Petya, after receiving a decisive refusal, went to his room and there, locking himself away from everyone, wept bitterly. Everyone did as if they had not noticed anything when he came to tea silent and gloomy, with tearful eyes.
The next day the Emperor arrived. Several of the Rostovs' servants asked to go and see the tsar. That morning, Petya spent a long time dressing, combing his hair and arranging his collars like the big ones. He frowned in front of the mirror, made gestures, shrugged his shoulders, and finally, without telling anyone, put on his cap and left the house from the back porch, trying not to be noticed. Petya decided to go straight to the place where the sovereign was, and directly explain to some chamberlain (it seemed to Petya that the sovereign was always surrounded by chamberlains) that he, Count Rostov, despite his youth, wants to serve the fatherland, that youth cannot be an obstacle for devotion and that he is ready ... Petya, while he was getting ready, prepared many beautiful words that he would say to the chamberlain.
Petya counted on the success of his presentation to the sovereign precisely because he was a child (Petya even thought how surprised everyone would be at his youth), and at the same time, in the arrangement of his collars, in his hairstyle and in a sedate, slow gait, he wanted to present himself as an old man. But the farther he went, the more he entertained himself with the people arriving and arriving at the Kremlin, the more he forgot to observe the degree and slowness characteristic of adults. Approaching the Kremlin, he already began to take care that he was not pushed, and resolutely, with a menacing look, put his elbows on his sides. But at the Trinity Gate, in spite of all his determination, people who probably did not know for what patriotic purpose he was going to the Kremlin pressed him against the wall so that he had to submit and stop, while at the gate with a buzzing under the arches the sound of carriages passing by. Near Petya stood a woman with a footman, two merchants and a retired soldier. After standing for some time at the gate, Petya, without waiting for all the carriages to pass, wanted to move on before the others and began to work decisively with his elbows; but the woman standing opposite him, on whom he first directed his elbows, angrily shouted at him:
- What, barchuk, pushing, you see - everyone is standing. Why climb then!
“That’s how everyone will climb,” said the footman, and, also beginning to work with his elbows, squeezed Petya into the stinking corner of the gate.
Petya wiped away the sweat that covered his face with his hands and straightened his collars, soaked with sweat, which he arranged as well as the big ones at home.
Petya felt that he had an unpresentable appearance, and was afraid that if he presented himself to the chamberlains like that, he would not be allowed to see the sovereign. But there was no way to recover and go to another place because of the tightness. One of the passing generals was an acquaintance of the Rostovs. Petya wanted to ask for his help, but considered that it would be contrary to courage. When all the carriages had passed, the crowd poured in and carried Petya out to the square, which was all occupied by people. Not only in the area, but on the slopes, on the roofs, there were people everywhere. As soon as Petya found himself on the square, he clearly heard the sounds of bells and joyful folk talk that filled the entire Kremlin.
At one time it was more spacious on the square, but suddenly all the heads opened, everything rushed somewhere forward. Petya was squeezed so that he could not breathe, and everyone shouted: “Hurrah! hooray! hurrah! Petya stood on tiptoe, pushed, pinched, but could see nothing but the people around him.
On all faces there was one common expression of tenderness and delight. One merchant's wife, who was standing near Petya, was sobbing, and tears flowed from her eyes.
- Father, angel, father! she said, wiping her tears with her finger.
- Hooray! shouted from all sides. For a minute the crowd stood in one place; but then she rushed forward again.
Petya, not remembering himself, clenching his teeth and brutally rolling his eyes, rushed forward, working with his elbows and shouting "Hurray!", as if he was ready to kill himself and everyone at that moment, but exactly the same brutal faces climbed from his sides with the same cries of "Hurrah!".
"So that's what a sovereign is! thought Petya. – No, I can’t apply to him myself, it’s too bold! but at that moment the crowd staggered back (from the front the policemen were pushing those who had approached too close to the procession; the sovereign was passing from the palace to the Assumption Cathedral), and Petya unexpectedly received such a blow to the ribs in the side and was so crushed that suddenly everything became dim in his eyes and he lost consciousness. When he came to his senses, some clergyman, with a tuft of graying hair behind him, in a shabby blue cassock, probably a sexton, held him under the arm with one hand, and guarded him from the oncoming crowd with the other.
- Barchonka crushed! - said the deacon. - Well, so! .. easier ... crushed, crushed!
The sovereign went to the Assumption Cathedral. The crowd leveled off again, and the deacon led Petya, pale and not breathing, to the Tsar Cannon. Several people took pity on Petya, and suddenly the whole crowd turned to him, and there was already a stampede around him. Those who stood closer served him, unbuttoned his frock coat, seated cannons on a dais and reproached someone - those who crushed him.
- That way you can crush to death. What is this! Murder to do! Look, my heart, it has become white as a tablecloth, - said the voices.

You can often hear that epiphytes live in the air. Indeed, these plants practically do not need soil for their growth and development. They use tree trunks to access the rainforest's most important source of energy - sunlight. These amazing plants have thousands of different species that have adapted to the most diverse climatic conditions of our planet.

Features of plant adaptation

The following amazing features of epiphytes are the mechanism of adaptation to their living conditions:

Thanks to the contribution of epiphytes, we can talk about the existence of a vertical gradation in tropical rainforests, that is, depending on the height, a wide variety of different organisms can be found. It is thanks to air plants that tropical forests are the most complex ecosystem on the planet. Not only the presence of different levels of vegetation depending on the altitude is associated with epiphytes, they also provide shelter and nutrients for the many species of amphibians, insects and birds that use these hiding places to build their nests.

Air plants have a huge variety of species in tropical rainforests, in which several dozen varieties are recorded on a single tree. However, they also spread to areas with a temperate climate, even in deserts there are species of epiphytes that

Variety of species

About 25,000 plant species are currently known to lead an epiphytic lifestyle. The main representatives of such plants are the following:

• bromeliad family;
• orchid family;
• fern genus;
• lichens and mosses.

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Epiphytism as a way of existence of plants met throughout the evolution of the plant world. Examples of plants that lead a similar lifestyle and belong to other families are spermatophytes - seed plants with a stem and seeds, as well as plants without seeds, such as lichens, mosses and others, which have spread in temperate regions of the planet.

The orchid family is the largest family of epiphytes in terms of the number of species it contains. This family is divided into 20 genera, among which are the genus Bulbophyllum, with 1800 species, and the genus Dendrobium, which has 1200 different species. In turn, the Phalaenopsis orchid genus, consisting of 60 species, is grown all over the world because of the beauty of its plants. In addition, these species are quite unpretentious, since they do not impose strict requirements for their watering.

Orchids have evolved a special tissue that covers their roots, forming a kind of epidermis, which is formed by dead cells and which greatly thickens the roots themselves. This fabric protects the roots from mechanical damage, and also allows them to absorb water during the rainy season in tropical forests, preventing it from evaporating during the dry season.

The female and male organs of orchids are combined in one inflorescence, so most species of these plants are hermaphrodites. Orchids grow on every continent except Antarctica. The smallest member of the orchid family is the dwarf platistela. This epiphytic orchid grows in the tropical forests of Costa Rica and reaches a height of only 1.5 centimeters.

Among all epiphytic orchids, an example of an edible plant is the so-called vanilla orchid, which originates from Mexico and Central America, where it is eaten mixed with cocoa. From its places of origin, it was brought by the Spaniards to Madagascar and other islands when they learned about its pleasant aroma. The method of growing a vanilla orchid is to create conditions in which it grows in the wild, that is, on tree trunks. Eat the fruits of this plant, which have not yet ripened.

Orchids have the most complex pollination system in the entire plant world, which evolves along with insects and small hummingbirds that live in the area. For example, the vanilla orchid is pollinated by bees and hummingbirds that live in Mexico, so this plant cannot be pollinated naturally in the conditions of its artificial cultivation. Until now, such flowers are pollinated by women and children with their own hands, so the production of vanilla orchid fruit is expensive.

Epiphytic orchids are not only the most numerous family of plants, but also belong to a family, many of whose species are endangered and listed in the Red Book. Currently, active work is underway to conserve various species of these epiphytes.

bromeliad family

This family, which is also called air carnations, includes more than 3,000 species that mainly grow in the tropics and lead an epiphytic lifestyle. The most representative genera of this family are Tillandsia (450 species), Pitcairnia (250 species), Vriesia (200 species) and Puia (150 species). Bromeliad leaves grow in rosettes and are cup-shaped, making it easier for water to accumulate in them.

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Bromeliad epiphytes are of two types:

1. Ground. These plants reach a height of 40-50 cm, have large leaves that form a rosette structure where moisture and nutrients accumulate. Such plants grow in shady damp places.
2. Atmospheric. These bromeliads reach a height of 10-15 cm, have thin leaves that can independently absorb water and nutrients from the atmosphere. Unlike terrestrial, atmospheric bromeliads grow in sunny places with low humidity.

The cultivation of bromeliads was banned in Brazil, because it was mistakenly believed that 43% of the species of this family accumulate water in themselves, which contributes to the development of mosquitoes, which carry various dangerous viruses. In fact, bromeliads prevent the spread of mosquitoes, since the water and nutrients that accumulate in them are good food for other insects, amphibians and birds that help in the fight against mosquitoes.

Air carnation flowers come in a wide variety of vibrant colors that attract pollinators. The main pollinators of such epiphytic plants are hummingbirds and bats. Many species of bromeliads are currently grown to decorate rooms and gardens, mainly representatives of the Gusmania genus.

Members of the genus ferns

Epiphytic ferns live in symbiosis with other plants, from which they receive the nutrients and moisture necessary for growth and development. These ferns grow on tree trunks, on their branches, on climbing plants, such as lianas, and even on the surface of living leaves of other plants.

These ferns are the main, and sometimes the only habitat for many representatives of flora and fauna, therefore they play an important role in the forest ecosystem. Ferns accumulate a large amount of humus, in which various species of ants and other invertebrates settle.

Epiphyte ferns are very sensitive to sunlight and humidity. Changes in the microclimate of this zone, for example due to deforestation or tree disease, affect the distribution of ferns in this zone. Therefore, they are good indicators of the health status of the ecosystem of such a forest zone.

The most famous representative of epiphytes belonging to the fern genus is the deer horn fern, which is used as a plant for decorating rooms. The antler originates from Australia, but in the wild it can be found in any humid tropical zones. There are two types of leaves on this fern:

1. The first type is bud-shaped and does not produce spores. Its function is to provide attachment to the tree trunk. These leaves gradually turn dark brown and form the basis for the growth of other leaves;
2. The second leaf type produces spores and grows on top of the first leaf type. They can reach a length of up to 90 cm and have a "velvet" appearance.

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Lichens and mosses

Lichens are fungi that have adapted to live in symbiosis with microscopic algae or cyanobacteria. Such a successful way of adaptation, which arose during the evolution of fungi, led to the existence of a wide variety of their species. Epiphytic lichens are living organisms that grow on the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs. Like ferns, they are good bioindicators of the state of the atmosphere in this zone.

In warm forests, lichens are often found that lead an epiphytic lifestyle. Among them, the genus Beard cappuccino should be distinguished, which grow mainly on coniferous trees. They are gray in color and grow in the form of "curtains" hanging from tree trunks.

It is curious that there is a species in the bromeliad family, which in its form resembles representatives of this genus of lichen. It is called Spanish moss, however, it does not belong to either mosses or lichens. Spanish moss has small leaves that grow in a kind of chain towards the surface of the earth. This epiphyte grows on the territory of the American continent.

In wet and cold forests, mosses are often found on tree trunks and especially at their base - plants that lead an epiphytic lifestyle. A lot of the biomass of these epiphytes develops on the trunks of oaks, since the bark of these trees contains many cracks that allow moss spores to develop.

Mosses are unpretentious plants and, together with lichens, form the vanguard of plant colonies that protect the soil surface from freezing, increase its porosity and water permeability, making a significant contribution to the formation of the upper fertile soil layer.

The gradual decomposition of mosses is a process that creates conditions for the growth of higher plants..

At present, the world of epiphytes is not well known due to the difficulty of conducting research in the rainforest, so many species with amazing features have yet to be discovered.

There are two main ways to grow epiphytes: pot culture and block culture.

Pot culture.

Utensils intended for growing epiphytes must ensure proper air conditions inside the substrate. Therefore, a ceramic pot with one hole in the bottom is not suitable for epiphytes.

For the cultivation of epiphytic plants, various "vessels" with a large number of holes in the walls and bottom are usually used. Of these, the most convenient are home-made - from wooden blocks or pieces of bamboo. You can also use baskets made of polystyrene, plexiglass, wire, etc., as well as commercially available mesh planters and other plastic utensils, having previously drilled a sufficient number of holes in its walls.

When choosing materials, you need to consider that they must be durable, because. these materials will be in contact with water, substrate and plant roots for a long time, and must also be chemically inert, i.e. do not emit substances that have a harmful effect on the growth and development of plants during prolonged contact with water. You should not just make the basket too large - it is quite enough for the plant to have enough for 2-3 years.

For young plants (delenok) with a weak root system, as well as for species that do not tolerate drying out of the substrate (there are such among epiphytes), it is preferable to use clay pots familiar to all of us, which, in order to avoid stagnation of irrigation water, before planting on 1/ 4 are filled with drainage (shards, broken bricks or expanded clay).

It is more expedient to place large collection specimens of orchids that develop a huge mass of aerial roots in baskets: the plants will receive sufficient space for the development of the root system. In those cases where the plants are supposed to be kept directly in the living room, it is advisable to plug the cracks of the baskets with sphagnum moss, which, without preventing the penetration of air, will somewhat slow down the drying rate of the substrate.

Substrates for growing epiphytes . When growing epiphytic plants, two main types of substrates are used: from natural components and artificial ones.

TO mineral include: sphagnum moss, pine bark, oak bark, fern roots, high-moor peat.

TO artificial include: substrates prepared on the basis of synthetic or mineral fibers (biolastone, mineral wool), and mixtures containing artificial granular materials (perlite, expanded clay and expanded polystyrene). In practice, artificial substrates are not often used.

Substrate requirements. The substrate intended for growing epiphytic plants must have two main properties - sufficient moisture capacity and breathability. With regard to domestic conditions, durability also becomes an equally important requirement - that is, the time during which the substrate retains the first two main properties. In the process of plant growth, the substrate is constantly exposed to root exudates, fertilizers and water. In addition, a significant amount of fungi and bacteria are always present in the substrate, which, without directly harming the plant, significantly accelerate the process of decomposition of the organic components of the substrate. As a result of the total influence of all these factors, the substrate is gradually destroyed and eventually turns into a structureless mass.

Inside the coma of such a substrate, air exchange deteriorates sharply. And this leads to the rapid death of the roots of plants, which can go so far that the plant cannot be saved, even by transplanting it into a new substrate. The state of the substrate must be constantly monitored and, at the first signs of its decomposition, plants should be transplanted.

Of the huge variety of natural materials, moss-sphagnum, high-moor peat, the roots of various ferns and the bark of some tree species are the most suitable. They have become the most common components of the substrates.

How to prepare the substrate. First, moisten all the necessary components a little - there will be less dust. Then grind the bark into pieces 0.5-1 cm in size. Cut the large rhizomes of the fern with secateurs into pieces of 2-3 cm (thin roots do not need to be chopped much, it is enough to cut them into segments that are convenient for laying in a pot). Lay out all the substrate components so that they are at hand, but do not interfere with work. Now you can mix.

There are many specific substrate recipes for major groups of epiphytic plants. These recipes can be easily found in the relevant literature. In order to make mixtures for all occasions yourself, you need to learn basic principles of composition of substrates .

First you need to decide where you will keep the plants: openly in a room or in a room greenhouse.

Growing in the room. Let's say you have chosen a room. The relative humidity of the air in the room is relatively low for most of the year, therefore, the substrate must contain a sufficient amount of moisture-absorbing components. You can choose bark as the basis of the substrate, but then you have to water the substrate every day, which causes difficulty. This means that either we refuse the bark, or we make an additive to it that has a good moisture capacity, for example, sphagnum in a ratio of 1:1 or 2:1. However, even such a mixture in very dry rooms will dry out rather quickly and can only be used for plants that cannot tolerate strong waterlogging, for example, for some types of orchids. For more moisture-loving ferns, columns or anthuriums, you need to add high-moor peat or leafy soil to this mixture and, in order to prevent possible waterlogging, charcoal, which will take in excess moisture.

You see, we have developed a rather complex, but quite usable substrate. The only question is, is the mixture optimal? Apparently not, because for example we chose a bark that was obviously unsuitable for room culture and showed that it can also be adapted to the case. In practice,

Peat or fern roots can be taken as the basis for a "room" substrate. such a substrate will be most suitable. The moisture capacity of peat and fern roots can be increased by adding sphagnum, and the breathability of peat can be increased by adding a small amount of coal or bark. In such a substrate, many epiphytes can be successfully grown, but it is especially good for orchids and bromeliads. For more vigorous plants that need significant amounts of nutrients, 1/3 of decayed leaves or, somewhat better, leafy soil can be added to this substrate.

Coal is an excellent water regulator. However, due to its high hygroscopicity, it accumulates a lot of salts over time. Based on this, it is not advisable to add it to bark substrates that need regular fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

Growing in a greenhouse. If you decide to keep the plants in a room greenhouse, then the best for these conditions will be low-moisture bases - bark or fern roots.

Properly prepared substrate under the conditions for which it is designed should dry almost completely in 3-4 days. Plants in such a substrate will never suffer from dryness or excessive waterlogging, and you will be spared the daily fuss with watering.

Planting epiphytes. Planting epiphytic plants in pots and baskets is almost no different from planting other indoor plants. The only thing that should be paid special attention to is the very high fragility of the roots of many epiphytes, with inaccurate work they can be extremely easily broken off.

Plants are planted as follows:

1. On the drainage laid in the container (drainage is not needed when planting in a basket), a layer of substrate is poured of such a thickness that, after the plants of the base of the stems are installed on it, they are 1-2 cm below the level of the walls of the dish.

2. Install the plant and spread its roots very carefully.

3. Cover the root system of the plant with a substrate, carefully filling the voids between the roots. New portions of the substrate are added from the walls of the pot to the middle, in no case pushing the substrate under the plant. The substrate is laid until its level reaches the base of the stems.

When keeping plants in rooms, the surface of the substrate is covered with a layer of sphagnum moss, which prevents the lump from drying out too quickly.

After planting, the plant is tied to pegs tightly fixed in the pot or fixed with a wire passed through the holes of the pot or basket. Reliable fixation of epiphytes on the substrate is the most important guarantee of their rapid rooting.

Watering the plants begins after 2-3 days, when the injuries caused during transplantation are slightly healed. If the room is too dry, a freshly transplanted plant is covered with a plastic bag for several days or sprayed regularly.

Block culture

Block culture is another way of growing epiphytes, which has no analogues in the culture of other ornamental plants.

With this method of cultivation, a unique opportunity is created to bring the living conditions of plants closer to natural ones and grow individual specimens so that they are practically indistinguishable from those formed in natural habitats. But it must be borne in mind that growing plants on blocks is much more difficult than pot culture, as it requires constant and careful care of the plants.

Almost all types of blocks at room culture dry out very quickly and need daily watering or spraying. But, so that the care of the collection does not take a lot of time and does not turn from pleasure into a tedious daily duty, do not grow all epiphytes in a block. It is enough to have several compositions. Plants grown on well-mounted blocks are extraordinarily beautiful, so even a few compositions will delight everyone who happens to see them.

Many plants, in particular some types of orchids (cattleyas, lelias, sophronitis), do not develop well in pots or baskets, since their roots are very sensitive to a lack of oxygen. For them, block culture is the only way to achieve any satisfactory growth.

In amateur floriculture, two main types of blocks are used - closed and open.

closed blocks are an extremely modernized version of the pot culture of epiphytic plants. The closed block is made from the material that is part of the substrate. For such blocks, cork oak or Amur velvet bark is used. But since these materials are quite difficult to obtain, you can replace them with the ubiquitous pine or oak bark.

In the manufacture of a closed block, large pieces of bark are fastened with wire so that some semblance of a pot or basket is obtained from them. The shape and size of the product do not play a significant role and are determined only by the size of the plant.

The inside of the resulting container is filled with a substrate in which the plant is planted (the planting technique is almost the same as when using pots or baskets). As the root system develops, the roots pass through the substrate and firmly stick to the material of the block, which thus becomes a source of additional nutrition. Caring for such a block is simple, since the bulk of the substrate is reliably isolated from dry air and dries out relatively slowly.

Closed units are very suitable for growing many large plants such as orchids, bromeliads or ferns.

Instead of a block made of bark, you can use driftwood or wood saw cuts with a hollowed out core. The plants planted in them look very beautiful and, as a rule, develop well. It should be noted that the material chosen for the manufacture of the block must resist decay well and not collapse within 3-4 years.

open blocks are large pieces of the substrate (rhizomes of ferns, bark or pressed peat), on which one or more plants are fixed. To prevent the block from falling apart, it is made on a rigid basis, which can be a piece of pine bark or any other material, such as plexiglass.

When installing the block, first, the main mass of the substrate is strengthened with soft wire - a piece of fern rhizome or pressed peat. Then the substrate is covered with sphagnum, which is also tightly wrapped with wire. After that, a plant is fixed on top of the sphagnum layer with the same wire. When using a loose substrate (peat), the entire block is wrapped around the outside with a plastic mesh.

If the block is supposed to be placed in a room greenhouse, you can do without sphagnum by fixing the plant directly on the substrate. In this case, it must be moistened regularly.

Agrotechnics of epiphytic plants

Watering and mineral nutrition

What water to water. Epiphytic plants can be watered with ordinary tap water. Hard water needs to be "softened". The easiest way to significantly reduce the hardness of water is boiling. Boiled water should be drained into enameled or glassware, where it should stand for at least a day. After settling, about 2/3 of the water must be poured into another container, which is later used for irrigation. Irrigation water should be warm - 2-3 ° C warmer than the air in the room.

Plants planted in pots are watered from a watering can with a thin spout, directing the jet so as to necessarily moisten the entire surface of the substrate. Do not immediately drain the water that has collected in the pan. It is better to wait 30-40 minutes. During this time, the substrate will absorb some of the water, and the moisture will be more uniform.

If the plants are planted in baskets or on blocks, they should be watered abundantly from a watering can - water quickly flows down over the surface of the substrate, only slightly moistening its uppermost layers. To prevent this from happening, it is better to immerse the baskets and blocks in a container of water for 1-2 minutes, and then allow excess moisture to drain. With this method of watering, there are no dry zones left inside the coma.

When to Water . Proper and timely watering is one of the main conditions for growing epiphytes. Most epiphytes react poorly to excessive moisture, which deprives their roots of oxygen necessary for breathing. Excessively long intervals between waterings are also undesirable, as they can lead to a slowdown or complete cessation of plant growth. It is rather difficult to guess the "golden mean": the necessary intervals between waterings depend on the species of the plant and its physiological state. Yes, and the substrate dries unevenly: at the moment when its upper layers seem completely dry, there may still be enough moisture inside the coma. This is especially dangerous when using moisture-intensive substrates containing a significant percentage of peat or leafy soil.

The optimal watering time can be determined by the mass of the pot or by the state of the substrate - a dry substrate slightly crunches when pressed. If the substrate is chosen correctly, then almost certainly watering can be carried out at intervals of 3-4 days without much risk of flooding or drying them out.

Plants that originate from the rain forest need to be watered regularly - they are not at all adapted to any long dry seasons. The same can be said about plants that do not have special adaptations for conserving water or that live in nature in very damp, shady places. Such plants primarily include ferns, some Gesneriaceae and bromeliads with thin and soft leaves. They should be watered fairly evenly, only slightly reducing moisture in winter, when the plants are in conditions of low temperature.

Reducing the rate of watering with a decrease in temperature is necessary for all other plants. If the room is too cold, it is better to delay watering, as excess cold water around the roots can cause their death.

The dependence of the frequency of irrigation on the physiological state of plants is also quite simple. Intensively growing specimens are watered abundantly, and as the next growth matures, watering is gradually reduced, transferring the plants to a dormant state. Instances that are in the dormant phase are watered very carefully, since their root system is unable to absorb large portions of water at this time (in some orchids, the roots die off completely during this period).

If the plant belongs to a species that grows all year round, it is watered regularly, commensurate, of course, the amount of water with the temperature and illumination in the room.

When choosing the intervals between watering, you must also take into account the condition of the substrate. For example, the moisture capacity of a bark-based substrate is initially low, then increases, and sharply decreases with strong decomposition.

Humidity. For many epiphytes, the most important indicator that determines the success of a crop is humidity. Epiphytes respond well to high relative air humidity during the growth period.

In summer, for most epiphytic plants, the relative humidity of the air is optimal in the range of 60-70%. It is almost impossible to achieve it by growing plants in a room, and in order to somehow compensate for the lack of atmospheric moisture, plants have to be sprayed regularly.

It is quite enough to spray the plants in the morning and in the afternoon, although in the literature one can sometimes find data on the need for daily spraying four or five times.).

The water intended for spraying should be warm, almost hot, as it cools quickly during the spraying process and can cause hypothermia of the leaves. It is best to use boiled or, if possible, distilled water for spraying. As a result of frequent spraying with hard, salty water, untidy white spots appear on the leaves of plants, which are very difficult to remove. Salt spots can greatly disfigure the plant, and therefore it is better not to spray variegated or pubescent species at all.

In winter and in cool cloudy weather, spraying will have to be abandoned, since dripping moisture in combination with low temperatures can lead to the massive development of fungal or bacterial plant diseases, the most dangerous of which are various rots; it is very difficult to stop them.

Fertilizers. Simultaneously with watering and spraying, most epiphytic plants can be fed with weak solutions of mineral fertilizers. Plants grown in bark-based substrates are especially in need of regular top dressing.

Dissolved fertilizers are applied during the growth period every 10-12 days, and in between feedings, the substrate is washed with clean water. This helps to prevent its excessive salinization.

Most often, for feeding epiphytic plants, liquid fertilizer "Vito" is used, which can be purchased at flower shops.

If there is no ready-made liquid fertilizer at hand, nutrient solutions used for hydroponic culture are used. Such solutions can be prepared at home. You can prepare a nutrient solution of the following composition, g per 1 liter of solution:

Potassium nitrate 0.213

Potassium phosphate (monosubstituted) 0.141

Magnesium sulfate 0.127

Ammonium nitrate 0.186

Ammonium sulfate 0.005

Iron chloride 0.0001

You can use other recipes, but when choosing a solution, you must ensure that it does not contain calcium salts, which are quite enough in irrigation water.

The total concentration of salts in the feeding solution should be within 1 g / l. Higher concentrations are dangerous for plants.

In addition to the introduction of nutrients with irrigation, when growing most epiphytic plants, foliar top dressing can also be used. Most often, urea (1-1.5 g / l) and microfertilizers are used for foliar top dressing. Fertilizer solutions are applied with a sprayer to the leaves and aerial roots. It is better to do this in cloudy but warm weather or in the afternoon. Plants in direct sunlight should not be sprayed, as severe leaf burns may occur.

Any top dressing with mineral fertilizers is useful only during the growth period. Plants that are in the dormant stage are not only useless to feed, but also dangerous. Untimely top dressing (especially with urea) can stimulate the beginning of growth, and the plant will break out of the usual rhythm of life cycles. To avoid this, you need to start top dressing in the spring (March - April), and stop - in the middle of summer, so that the plants have time to finish growing by winter. Special attention should be paid to this, since overfed, "fatting" plants overwinter very badly and may even die completely.

Transplanting and dividing plants

Transplantation is a very crucial moment in the life of most epiphytes. You need to prepare for it in advance. From a careless and careless transplant, the plant may die.

The difficulty of transplanting epiphytes is primarily due to the fact that these plants adhere very tightly to the substrate or the walls of the dishes. Without this, they simply could not exist in nature. However, what is useful for plants in the rainforest does not always make life easier for them in a culture. It is enough to try once to extract a well-rooted orchid from the pot to be convinced of this. No matter how carefully you do it, you will never be able to separate the plant from the dishes or substrate without breaking or damaging at least a few roots. Such losses are inevitable when transplanting almost all epiphytes, this must be tolerated, but measures must be taken to minimize possible damage.

Plants should be properly watered 1-2 days before transplanting. This will make their roots more elastic, and they will be easier to separate from the dishes. Some roots during transplantation can be separated almost without damage with a blunt knife or fingers. In order not to bother with tearing off the roots from the pot for a long time, it is easier to break it. Only the largest shards are thrown away, while the rest, together with the roots that have stuck to them, are placed in a new substrate. They will not bring harm, and the roots will remain intact.

A homemade basket can be carefully disassembled by biting the wire that holds it together with wire cutters. With the block, the situation is even simpler: it is enough to attach a new piece of fresh substrate to it.

After you have removed the plant from the dishes, you must carefully examine its roots and remove all rotten and dead parts. A large, overgrown specimen can sometimes be divided into several parts during transplantation. But you shouldn't get too carried away with this. It is always better to get two or three full-fledged plants than to cut many small pieces, each of which will then have to be grown for many years. When dividing plants, the places of cuts are sprinkled with crushed coal.

Freshly transplanted and divided plants should be looked after with special attention and try to place them in the most favorable conditions.

When writing the article, materials from the book by S.O. Gerasimova, I.M. Zhuravleva, A.A. Seryapin "Rare indoor plants"