Tropical rainforest is not only considered to be the green lung of the earth. The huge forest areas on both sides of the equator give us fascinating orchids for the windowsill. In order to properly care for the queen of flowers as a houseplant, the conditions at the natural site should be known. Follow us here on a foray through the homeland of orchids.

Orchids originally come from the warm, humid tropics

Jungle 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 of mighty trees, medium-sized and small plants means that there is permanent twilight on the ground. During their long evolution, orchids have developed this clever strategy to still get 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
  • The aerial roots trap rain to carry water and nutrients to the leaves

While in some regions of the tropics rain falls daily, in other regions there is an alternation between rainy and dry seasons. So that the orchids there do not have to starve during the dry season, they have bulbs as storage organs. Water and nutrients can be stored here for bad times.

Conclusions for care - How to simulate natural conditions

Have you familiarized yourself with the framework that a tropical rainforest offers orchids? This 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 with liquid orchid fertilizer 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 (€8.00) made of pine bark, sphagnum and lava granules.(€13.99)

tips

Tropical rainforest is not the only habitat for orchids. Some of the survivors of this diverse 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 fields and forests, because the Cypripedium calceolus thrives here as a hardy and perennial.

Category:

Indoor plants