They absorb nitrogen and other nutrients from the decaying matter on the branches. When rainfall is scarce, orchids store water in their thick leaves, stems and roots. Ancient Aztecs in Mexico used vanilla seed pods to flavour their drinks and pure vanilla flavouring we purchase today comes from orchid plantations in Madagascar, the West Indies, Java and other tropical islands. Terrestrial orchids grow in the soil, or rather on the organic decomposing material on the forest floor. They are commonly found in moderate, tropical or subtropical climates.
Lithophytes are orchids that grow on rocks or cliff faces.
Their numbers are significantly fewer than epiphytes or terrestrial orchids, obviously due to the difficult growing conditions. Hanbidge offers a few basic guidelines for growing orchids successfully. Click here to continue . We welcome your feedback. All rights reserved.