Orchids are some of the most beautiful plants I have ever seen and what’s unusual about them is in their natural environment they are usually found growing on trees and they survive very well within their natural habitat which is conducive to caring for their needs. You will be surprised to know that the vanilla plant used in flavouring foods is also an orchid. (Vanilla planifolia)
Orchids grow best attached to trees
One of the most amazing show of display of these plants I have seen were the ones growing in a tropical environment and they were thriving. Some were attached to trees which was able to offer indirect sunlight as the trees provided the shade and others were on the ground in pots directly in the sunlight. While they were attached to the trees the roots were extremely long in comparison to having them in pots it is quite a contrast. I was amazed to see the root system on these plants. I discovered that they were able to grow in various positions including upside down in hanging baskets.
Humidity an important contributor
While the environment in this tropical climate created the right humidity it was also important to note that they seemed to thrive in pots made of natural material like coconut husk, they grew very well in natural stones and sometimes I noticed that they were placed in discarded husk of peanut shells, wooden pots handmade or anything that seemed organic or made of natured fiber was efficient for growing.
I did not observe the plants being overtaken by insects. I was unable to tell if this is just conducive to being indoors only. Or the hot tropical climate made it difficult to remain on the plant. Or it could also be because there are large downpours of rain during the rainy season they could be just showered by the natural rain and the wind elements present there.
I concluded that while it is beautiful for these plants to be kept indoors. There are many options to consider for their growth. Creating the right environment is very important. Using natural fibres, wood and some type of stones can work. Be aware of insects and constantly check for these microscopic ones that can become a pest.
The right amount of sunlight with some humidity is important for their growth. It’s really a trial to see what really works. Along with infrequent watering are just some of the few steps required. Overall they do really well attached to a tree which is usually where they are found surviving in their natural environment.