Epiphytic Plants: Air-Dwelling Wonders
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When most of us think about plants, we imagine roots plunging deep into the ground. But that’s not a trait of all plants. Some cling to other surfaces for support, devoid of any direct connection to the ground. These remarkable plants are known as epiphytic plants.
From lush tropical rainforests to arid desert landscapes, epiphytic plants have carved out their own unique spaces in diverse ecosystems around the world. They thrive in every corner of the globe, from the canopies of the Amazon to the towering trees of Southeast Asia, and even the rugged cliffs of Mediterranean regions.
Discover the captivating world of epiphytic plants, including what they are, their ingenious adaptations, their crucial ecological role, the different types of epiphyte plants, and find out whether they make good houseplants.
What are Epiphytes?
Sometimes called air plants, epiphytes are species of plants that attach to a host species, but do not act as a parasite. The very term epiphyte comes from the Greek for ‘upon a plant’ with epi meaning upon and phyte meaning plant.
Instead of being a parasite and taking nutrients or water, the air plant has a commensalistic relationship with its host, meaning that it benefits from the connection without benefiting or harming the other plant.
Amazingly, there are more than 30,000 known species of epiphytic plants ranging from mosses and lichens to orchids and cacti; even various species of algae. These plants have no roots or obvious connection to a nutrient source within the ground but instead derive their nutrients from other sources like the sun, rain, the air, dust, and organic materials. Many have roots that are not attached to the ground, and this allows them to absorb moisture in the form of rainwater.
Because of this, many air plants tend to grow in tropical regions, high up in the dense forests where there is no need to be connected to the ground, but the plants have easy access to sunlight. However, things like ferns and mosses are common in temperate regions.
Types of Epiphytes
With so many species of epiphytes, it’ll come as no surprise that they are split into different categories. There are two main types of epiphytes; holo and hemi.
Holo-Epiphytes
The orchid is one of the best examples of a holo-epiphyte. These are plants that complete their entire lifecycle without ever making contact with the ground. Instead, they rely on their host plant for the duration of their life.
Hemi-Epiphytes
Hemi-epiphytes do complete part of their lives while relying on their hosts, but eventually, their roots will make contact with the ground and soil. Strangler figs are an example of a hemi-epiphyte.
Epiphyte Plant Adaptations
Most plants require a connection to the soil in order to absorb water and nutrients. However, epiphytes do not. But in order for them to survive without the ground, they need to have some special adaptations that allow them to survive.
Water & Nutrients
Without their roots firmly in the ground, air plants have seriously limited access to the nutrients they need to thrive. However, they have their own special ways of obtaining nutrients and moisture and this starts at their leaves.
You will notice that epiphytic plants have small hairs on their leaves. These are called trichomes, and they’re designed to catch moisture from the air from sources like rainfall, fog, and mist. The leaves of these plants are also pretty amazing in that many have thicker leaves, like succulents, that enable them to store water for drier weather. Look at the leaves of the bromeliad plant which point upwards, creating a reservoir in the center of the plant for storing water.
Others are able to shut themselves down and stop photosynthesizing when the conditions are too hot or dry as this helps them to retain water. However, they have adapted to growing higher up in the trees which means they have better access to sunlight compared to plants closer to the forest floor.
Orchids take their nutrients from fungi growing on the host tree in exchange for sugar, something of a symbiotic relationship.
There are even some epiphytes that are equipped with aerial roots, allowing them to take what they need from the surrounding air. Moreover, the specially adapted roots of these plants can form a strong connection to the trunk of a host tree, creating a secure anchor.
Reproduction & Dispersal
In order to survive, a species must be able to effectively reproduce, and epiphytes have a rather unique way of doing this that’s perfectly suited to them.
One of their primary reproductive adaptations is having smaller seeds that are much more lightweight. Since they rely on seed dispersal by animals, the wind or water, having lighter, smaller seeds is certainly beneficial. What’s more, these plants produce significantly large numbers of seeds.
But before that, they still rely on pollinators and they attract them by producing some of the largest and most beautiful blooms in the forest.
Attachment Structures
In order to thrive, epiphytes also need to make sure that they are securely attached to their host tree. This often involves the use of super-strong roots that provide a reliable anchor. For example, clinging roots which fix the plant stably to its supporting structure.
There are also some epiphytes that have wiry stems which they wrap around the branches and trunks of their hosts for additional security.
Protection against Herbivores
Growing on the trees makes epiphytic plants vulnerable to herbivores, but they have some special adaptations for this as well. For example, there are some species that have formed a mutualistic relationship with ants. The ants provide protection to the plant while receiving shelter and food in return, as is the case with the fern Lecanopteris, of which seven species have this type of relationship with five species of ants.
Where no mutualistic relationship is present, some epiphytes have developed structures as a means of protection. This includes thorns which act as a spiky deterrent to would-be herbivores on the lookout for food.
Ecological Role of Epiphytes
Within an ecosystem, all plants have an important role to play and that’s no different when it comes to epiphytes. In fact, they are ecologically essential for a variety of reasons.
Provides Habitat for Animals & Microorganisms
As I have already discussed, some epiphytes provide shelter and food for their mutualistic partners. But this isn’t only for the ants we discovered earlier, some species that create reservoirs of water within their leaves, provide crucial habitat for animals like frogs.
Nutrient Cycling
While epiphytes are attached to other plants and trees, they don’t take nutrients. If anything, they give back because as their leaves die off and decompose, they put nutrients back into the environment.
Helps to Reduce Soil Erosion
When plants grow in the ground, this can cause soil erosion but since epiphytes do not anchor their roots in the ground, this protects the soil against erosion, ensuring it stays healthy.
Regulate Temperature & Humidity
There is a perfect balance within the tropical ecosystem and epiphytes help with this by providing shade as well as retaining moisture to contribute to humidity levels.
Indicator of Ecosystem Health
It’s so important for biologists to be able to detect changes in the environment before they become too serious. Epiphytes act as a bioindicator since they are so sensitive to change. By monitoring them, scientists are able to assess the local conditions and ensure the ecosystem remains healthy.
Types of Epiphyte Plants
There are more than 30,000 species of epiphytic plants, and around 15,000 of these are found in neotropical environments. Let’s get to know more about some of the most interesting species.
1. Ball Moss (Tillandsia recurvata)
Ball moss is an epiphyte that enjoys areas with low light and airflow, especially in locations with high humidity. These plants can vary in size from that of a gold ball up to the size of a soccer ball. They have greenish-gray leaves which they use to absorb water while attached to their hosts.
These plants prefer to attach to trees with textured bark and are commonly found on oak or cedar elm. However, it’s not uncommon to find them on other structures, such as fences and even power lines.
They’re native to the southern parts of the United States and down into South America, including Chile and Argentina. Ball moss flowers in the fall, and while they are sometimes known to fight for light with their hosts, this usually has no detrimental effect on the tree.
2. Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides)
A relative of ball moss, Spanish moss is not actually from Spain. This plant is found in Central and South America, notably Mexico, and has been naturalized in parts of Queensland, Australia, where it can be found growing around marshes and swamps.
Spanish moss is a member of the pineapple family that has slender stems and long, scaly leaves that fall in a chain-like pattern. The leaf scales are used for absorbing water and the plant is often found on old or even dead trees. It’s commonly used as a component in mulch.
3. Resurrection Fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides)
The resurrection fern is perhaps one of the most astonishing types of epiphytes as it can literally bring itself back to life; hence its name. When water is scarce, the plant folds up its 9.8 inches (25 cm) fronds and changes color from green to brown, appearing all but dead.
However, once it is introduced to water, even just a small amount, it will resurrect and uncurl itself, fully restoring in as little as 24 hours.
You can find these plants in Africa as well as across the Americas, where they grow on large trees like oak and cypress. They’re also commonly found on logs and rocks.
4. Elkhorn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
The elkhorn fern takes its name from its fork-shaped leaves that look like the horns of a stag. However, these plants also have heart-shaped leaves; there are around 18 different species of elkhorn fern.
You can find these plants in Australia, New Guinea, and on the island of Java where they tend to prefer a rainforest environment. They can grow up to 35 inches (90 cm) in height and are known to be one of the easiest ornamental plants to grow although in the wild, they tend to attach onto the crevices on their host trees.
5. Sky Plant (Tillandsia ionantha)
The sky plant is one of the most beautiful epiphytes with its beautiful, slender purple flowers. The leaves are typically green in color but will turn a rich red just before the plant blooms.
They’re not big plants, in fact, the sky plant doesn’t get much taller than 3 inches (8 cm), although the leaves can reach around 3.5 inches (9 cm) at their biggest. They have very small roots but they’re suitable enough to help the plant attach to trees.
You’ll find the sky plant growing in Mexico and other locations around Central America.
6. Pink Quill (Wallisia cyanea)
The pink quill is one of the rarest types of epiphytic plants and is native to the rainforests of Ecuador. That said, its range has been known to stretch to Peru; in any case, it prefers a moist tropical environment. However, it is often kept as a houseplant and will tolerate very low temperatures down to 44.6°F (7°C), making it ideal for temperate locations.
Pink quill plants are unique in that their pink to purple flowers not only come out in spring but also in the fall. The plant can get to between 10 and 20 inches (25 and 51 cm) tall and the same in width. It has narrow leaves that are dark green in color.
7. Blue Orchid (Vanda coerulea)
The blue orchid can be found in the northeastern parts of India, but its range does go out as far as China. These plants boast beautiful blue to purple flowers, and they can grow to between 30 and 60 inches (76 and 152 cm). The blue orchid also has between 20 and 30 protective spikes.
One of the most notable things about the blue orchid is its medicinal value. In its native countries, it is often used to treat eye conditions such as cataracts as well as for preventing blindness. Furthermore, the plant is thought to have benefits on aging of the skin.
8. Green-Fly Orchid (Epidendrum magnoliae)
The green fly orchid is found in the United States and is the most northern of all orchid species on the continent. However, it is also found as far south as Mexico, where it prefers a low elevation no more than 328 feet (100 meters) above sea level.
These plants have green to bronze flowers with leathery, elliptical shaped leaves. However, they are quite discreet within their environment and often become hidden among the ferns. This makes them quite difficult to spot in the wild unless the surrounding resurrection ferns have curled up due to a lack of rain.
9. Tiger Orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum)
The tiger orchid boasts some of the most beautiful and large flowers in the whole epiphyte kingdom. These flowers are yellow in color and have maroon colored spots on them. A single plant can grow up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) and may bear as many as 80 flowers in one blooming period.
These plants also give off a special chemical scent in order to attract pollinators and are hailed for their medicinal properties. They’re often used in the treatment of wounds and can be found growing in Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, and New Guinea, where they prefer a tropical forest environment.
10. Noble Dendrobium (Dendrobium nobile)
The noble dendrobium is unique in that it blooms during the winter. For this reason, it’s a popular houseplant that allows a splash of color where most other plants are dormant. It has stunning purple flowers, and there can be as many as 100 on each cane.
These epiphytic plants grow in sub-tropical climates and are common in Nepal and China, where they are often used in traditional Chinese medicine.
While the noble dendrobium does have very thin roots, these are strong enough to allow it to securely attach to its host tree.
11. Crimson Cattleya (Cattleya labiata)
The crimson cattleya is sometimes called the ruby-lipped cattleya and is an evergreen species of epiphytic plant that grows in the north eastern parts of Brazil. The plant is pollinated by a specific species of scent-attracting bee and once pollinated, it can release as many as 20,000 seeds at once.
Crimson cattleyas have strong rhizomes that wrap around the host tree, creating a secure anchor from which to obtain nutrients and water from the surrounding air.
While they typically attach to trees high up in the canopy, crimson cattleyas can also be found growing around rocks closer to the ground.
12. Urn Plant (Aechmea fasciata)
Sometimes called the silver vase, the urn plant is native to Brazil where it can grow in well-drained soil. However, these are often epiphytic plants that attach their wiry roots to host trees in a rainforest environment.
Urn plants can grow up to 35 inches (90 cm) in height and usually have a spread of around 24 inches (60 cm). They have oval leaves and small purple flowers that bloom from a central pink rosette.
If you ever encounter an urn plant, it is important to handle it with care as these plants are known to irritate the skin. However, insects find them advantageous as small reservoirs of water are created within the plant, which the insects use for their own benefit.
13. Scarlet Star (Guzmania lingulata)
The scarlet star is a rainforest plant native to Central America, but it does grow as far north as Florida and as far south as Brazil. It has strong roots that allow it to attach to its host tree and boasts a beautiful star-shaped rosette in a pink to orange color.
Once these plants bloom, the flowers can remain for as long as four months, but these aren’t particularly large plants and generally only grow to around 2 feet (0.6 meters) in height.
They’re a popular type of houseplant thanks to their ability to grow well under artificial light. However, they do best in part shade when growing in the wild.
14. Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
The bird’s nest fern is native to many areas, including tropical East Africa, South East Asia, Hawaii, and eastern Australia. In Asia, the plant is protected in Hong Kong, and in Taiwan, the leaves are used for food.
You can identify this plant thanks to the large leaves that are very similar in appearance to those of the banana plant. The leaves can grow up to 59 inches (150 cm) and are light green with a dark midrib. Once the plant is established, the leaves create a plant nest which is where the species takes its name.
Bird’s nest ferns prefer areas out of direct sunlight and are found growing in partial shade in the wild. They like a humid environment and are an evergreen species.
15. Leather-Leaf Fern (Polypodium scouleri)
The leather-leaf fern goes by many different names including the coast polypody and the Scouler’s polypody, to name a few. The leaves can be triangular or oblong in shape and may grow up to 31 inches (80 cm) in length.
Leather-leaf ferns are found growing along the coastlines and prefer crevices; they are native to Oregon in the United States as well as other western parts of the country.
This is an evergreen plant that is able to survive in the salt sprays and is also a popular choice for gardeners. They have thick leathery leaves but do not produce flowers, instead storing spores for reproduction.
16. Orchid Cactus (Disocactus ackermannii)
The orchid cactus grows at high elevations above 8,202 feet (2,500 meters) and is native to the cloud forests in southern Mexico. These plants have large leaves that can grow up to 30 inches (75 cm), although the base is usually no more than 2.8 inches (7 cm).
Orchid cacti produce scarlet-colored flowers with a green base and, once the plant is pollinated, it will produce beautiful red berries. The dark-colored leaves cascade away from the plant and remain intense in color all year, being an evergreen species.
While the flowers are large and impressive, they don’t last for long. Typically, the orchid cactus only blooms for a couple of days during spring, and those flowers fully close at night.
Do Epiphytes Make Good Houseplants?
With so many species of epiphytic plants, it’s hardly surprising that so many have become popular houseplants. If you’re not the most green-fingered person then these plants might be a good addition to your home as they’re incredibly easy to grow and take care of.
For starters, there is no need for any soil because they don’t need this to grow. What’s more, being tropical plants, many boast stunning blooms that add a pop of color to the home which is something that attracts a lot of people.
In addition to this, being tropical plants, they do very well in the warm home, even where things are pretty humid. That said, if you live in a temperate region then there are certain species that will thrive better here such as the pink quill which has a better tolerance for low temperatures.
In any case, if you’re looking to take care of one of these plants, you’ll need to find a bright and sunny spot for it. Some epiphytes prefer direct sunlight, while others like partial shade, so it’s important to learn about the species you’re going to take care of. While many of them grow in warmer climates, they aren’t typically fond of high heat but will do well in the garden during summertime.
One of the most important things to remember when keeping an epiphytic plant is to keep the roots moist. If they dry out, it’s likely that the plant will begin to die. But you should never overwater them, especially in winter when they become less tolerant of moisture.
Generally speaking, these plants are very low maintenance, so are ideal for people who don’t have a lot of time but want the joy of keeping houseplants. It is a good idea to add a little liquid fertilizer during the growth season but otherwise, you won’t need to do too much.
That said, epiphytic plants can be prone to pests and diseases, especially of a fungal nature. This usually happens if the plant is moved around too much or is exposed to unfavorable conditions, such as being too dry. They are sensitive to pesticides, so you should be mindful of spraying them too readily in the event of an infestation.
