These vines, called lianas, sometimes are as big around as a person. They climb the tree in the canopy to reach for sunlight. Epiphytes are plants that grow piggy back on the trees of the canopy, such as orchids, ferns, mosses, lichens and others. These plants grow in the canopy where light is more plentiful. The epiphyte uses the tree for support, getting water from the rain that falls.
Some epiphytes can make their own food from sunlight and air.
Many epiphytes produce beautiful, brightly colored flowers that we use as house plants. Bromeliads are epiphytes from the pineapple family. Orchids are another variety of epiphyte commonly adapted to home growth. There are more than 20,000 varieties of orchid. In tropical rain forests, orchids grow on tree branches, trunks or rocks.