Hanging On, Part 2: Epiphytes

Here we are again with part two on plants that climb. If you didn’t see part 1 on climbers, it’s over here!

I couldn’t fully answer my question, “How does a plant cling?” without mentioning epiphytes. What’s an epiphyte, anyway? It’s a plant that lives in trees (generally, but it can take root on another support in some cases), and doesn’t need to anchor itself to the ground to obtain water or minerals. It is not a parasite, since it does not harm the host tree: it is fully autonomous.

Often, the seed is carried by the wind, deposited on the bark, and the plant simply grows there. The most common methods of attachment are spiked roots: they settle into the smallest interstice and anchor the plant.

Wouldn’t it be a short article if I only answered my question? Don’t worry, I also want to tell you about their lifestyle. Yes, they hang on, but then what? How do they get water and food without good roots that plunge into the ground? So I’m going to give you an overview (from a great height, because it’s such a vast subject!) of the great variety that exists, and of their peculiarities.

Think you don’t know/own epiphytes? Think again! Epiphytes are everywhere. I myself have four or five different ones in my house! And although they’re more common in rainforests, your chances of seeing them aren’t limited to houseplants. In fact, there’s an epiphytic plant that’s widespread throughout the world and can be found in all our forests, and I’m 100% sure you’ve already seen it.

Have you guessed what I’m talking about? Make an effort, it’s the first greenery of spring!

Moss

That’s right! My spring favorite! Moss.

Requiring no substrate for food or water, mosses colonize all sorts of places: tree trunks, rocks, patio slabs, concrete, walls, etc. Although many people try to get rid of it, it’s not at all harmful. Although many people try to get rid of it, it’s not at all harmful. The popular Virginia creeper that climbs up your house is in fact probably more aggressive than moss on your siding!Too often, we associate moss with mold. Yes, both like humidity, but moss doesn’t feed on old wood and needs light to live, unlike the fungi responsible for decomposing matter.

If you want it in your home, it’s a wonderful alternative to lawns in shady corners. It requires no mowing or watering, and can be used as a soft carpet as well as a decorative element. Gaps between flagstones, children’s play areas, walls and roofs… the possibilities are endless! What’s more, ticks prefer tall grass, so moss may be safer.

It’s quite difficult to grow indoors because of its moisture requirements, but it’s not impossible, you just have to choose the right species. Personally, I have a jar with a pitcher plant, an orchid and a fittonia. To make a nice montage, I took a piece of bark from the forest. I was surprised to see, a year later, that the few bits of moss had spread and now make a magnificent carpet in my terrarium.

If you want a carpet of moss to cover the soil of a potted plant, that’s possible too, but make sure you choose a type of moss that needs less moisture, otherwise you’ll have to over-water, which could drown your plant. And choose a plant that needs moist soil! Moss and cactus don’t mix very well.

Painting With Nature

Moss is very special in that it can grow from a tiny piece of leaf. I’ve got a summer project for you. With the kids, or in anticipation of a barbecue party, you can decorate your outdoors with moss, no more, no less! All you need is a blender.

Scoop out a few handfuls of moss, place them in a blender with water and blend to a fine purée. Once done, brush the mixture onto your walls, flagstones and garden accessories (but not your barbecue!) In just a few days, you should see a beautiful carpet of moss appear where you’ve “painted”! Imagine arriving at an event and having a giant « HAPPY BIRTHDAY” written in moss on the house wall.

Experiment with different mosses to find the one that gives you the best results, and let your creativity run wild!

The Orchid

This common plant is, in my opinion, the most mistreated epiphyte in the industry. And I weigh my words! I don’t think I’ve ever seen an orchid in a shop that was in a suitable environment. I don’t want to offend garden centers, so I’ll stick with “commercial” (grocery stores, hardware stores, etc.). Some of them must sell orchids the right way… Somewhere… I guess!

When sold, orchids are often placed in a transparent plastic pot with a sphagnum moss substrate, or even in the ground. For retail purposes, this is practical: the substrate remains moist until the poor plant arrives in its new home. It doesn’t run out of water, it stays beautiful and everyone’s happy.

EXCEPT THAT!

This substrate stays moist in the center and hardly ever dries out. From the outside, it looks dry, you water it, but in the center, it’s root rot. If you’re the type who forgets to water your plants, great, but if you water every two weeks, your poor orchid probably won’t survive and… you’ll go out and buy another one!

So take my advice: repot your orchids as soon as you buy them. You have two options: 1. orchid potting soil, which is nothing more than coarse wood shavings, or 2. no potting soil at all.

Well, Audrey… It’s a plant, it needs soil!

No, it’s not! It’s an epiphyte, so it doesn’t need soil. You can just stick it in a vase with an inch of water at the bottom, touching the roots a little, and you’re done. I often hear people talk about orchids’ “true roots” and “aerial roots”… I’m going to tell you the terrible truth today: they’re all aerial roots. Some are just trapped in a suffocating nest of damp sphagnum moss that turns them yellow, soft or downright moldy. That’s all there is to it. Please, let your orchids breathe!

Tillandsia

Like orchids, Tillandsia, also known as air plants, grow directly on a support. They appear on trees, rocks, walls and even electrical wires! While orchids have developed roots capable of absorbing moisture from the air, Tillandsia has the ability to absorb water through its leaves. The fine “hairs”, called trichomes, give the leaves a silvery appearance and serve to capture moisture. Once wet, after rain or morning dew, for example, the leaves turn green until they dry. The plant’s roots serve only as anchors.

Have you ever heard of Spanish moss? It’s also known as Old Man’s Beard, although I’ve never heard of it. It’s a rather popular species of tillandsia (Tillandsia usneoides). This one doesn’t even have a root! It’s just tangled enough to hang on trees. When a piece breaks off, it can become a new plant: it’s easy to take cuttings when you literally live on fresh air and fresh water! Birds often use bits of Spanish moss in their nests, helping to disperse it.

It’s worth noting that in Quebec, we have a look-alike called an “Indian beard”. Legend has it that when the settlers arrived, the locals were so frightened that they ran off into the woods, their beards clinging to the branches as they went! Beware, however, this look-alike is not a plant, it’s a lichen: a complex organism combining algae and fungi.

Les Bromeliads

Please don’t yell at me! For Latin and classification buffs, I know that Tillandsias are Bromeliads. They’re in the subfamily Tillandsioideae. But now I want to talk about other bromeliads, those in the subfamily Bromelioideae.

Many of the species in this group are epiphytic. The pineapple is one of them! But for tree-dwelling bromeliads, the watering technique is quite different from that of their Tillandsia cousins. The center of the plant forms a rosette of leaves that collects rainwater. Although they can be found in pots in the nursery, you should be aware that they generally don’t use their little roots to drink, or use them very little. They do, however, need a moist environment, so we recommend watering the potting soil from time to time. To water the bromeliad, put rainwater (non-calcareous) in the center of the rosette, without saturating it to avoid rotting. Watering should be slowed down in winter and stopped when the plant is flowering.

I’d like to remind you that this article is intended as an overview of epiphytes and their adaptations in nature, not as a guide on how to care for your plants. Although I’ve provided a few tips, each species has its own specific needs.

Cacti…!

Some cacti are epiphytic. A lost and little-known variety, you think. Well, no! The three genera of epiphytic cacti are very common in houseplants. They are Disocactus, Schlumbergera and Rhipsalis.

Uh… Audrey… Stop acting like you speak Latin.

Sorry, I’m protecting myself from picky readers! Even scientists can’t quite agree on their names, or whether they’re three or just two genera…! Translation: zigzag cactus, Christmas cactus and mistletoe cactus (often called Rhipsalis).

You know, biology is worse than a schoolyard! Gossip, hearsay and details are not the same depending on who you ask. I’m telling you, I do a lot of research to determine what’s true and what’s false here! Anyway, without going into too much detail, the three cacti are modified leafless stems. The stem itself is green and photosynthesizes. The absence of leaves prevents too much water being lost through evaporation.

These three cacti seem to thrive in damp crevices, lightly rooted in humus or moss that accumulates on trees or rocks. This enables them to absorb the little water they need through their roots.

Cacti of the same genus as the Zigzag seem to be the only ones to have “hairs”, which are actually modified leaves and serve to absorb moisture. I have a Zigzag. I confess I water it twice a year. It spends the winter on top of a chest of drawers with ZERO light and the summer outside in the rain. I water it when I move it in the fall and spring.

Christmas cactus, I can’t find any information on an alternative way to drink other than through its roots.

Rhipsalis also seems to drink only from its roots. Because it is so slender, it can easily anchor itself in a bark crevice and grow there. A single segment falling into a crevice can give rise to a new plant.

All three like porous soil (no surprise), but the rhipsalis needs more water. I’ve had two of these lovely cacti for years and they just won’t grow. I’ve just read that they prefer non-calcareous water… oops! I’ve been torturing them for so long!

While all plants drink rainwater in the wild, epiphytes drink it “purer” because it hasn’t mixed with soil minerals. So it’s actually quite logical to prefer non-calcareous water for these plants!

The Others…

I could double the length of this article if I continued: I’ve left out ferns, philodendrons, anthuriums, begonias… All plants we have in our homes that can cause us headaches!

You can’t treat an epiphytic plant in the same way as other plants: you have to take into account its basic functioning and needs. Where does it hang in nature? How does it drink? Does it need pure water? Poor soil? A prolonged dry spell? So many questions and parameters to know!

I hope I’ve filled you with wonder at the wonders of nature with my few examples today, and I encourage you to review what you think you know about your epiphytic houseplants. Understanding their way of life is often a very good start to understanding the ups and downs of your protégés.