The Various Type of Orchids 2

Orchid is one of the prettiest flower in the world that has many variations of species. Maybe this is one of the reasons that is why many people love orchids.

Until now, orchid has more than 25,000 species and more than 100,000 hybrids. But actually, according to some sources (including wikipedia), orchid can be divided into several types based on the type of growth and its growing place.

In my previous post (The Various Type of Orchids), I said that there are three different types of orchids based on where they live; Terrestrial orchids, Epiphyte orchids, and Lithophyte orchids. Now, I will tell you the types of orchids based on the type of growth.

Based on The Type of Growth

Monopodial Orchid

This orchid has only one stem and just one growing point. The flowers grow from the tip of the stem. These orchids can be propagated by stem cuttings and seeds. For example: Vanda sp., and Phalaenopsis sp. (Phalaenopsis).

Simpodial Orchid

This orchid has more than one growing point. New shoots emerging from around the main stem. Flowers may appear at the top or side of the trunk, but there are also emerging from the roots to stay. The stem store water or food reserves pseudo bulbs. This orchid can be reproduced by a split, separation Keiki, seed. Example: Dendrobium sp., Cattleya sp.

 images from www.orchidcarelady.com

Knowing the type of orchid is an essential thing if we are going to start to maintain the orchid. By knowing the exactly what kind of orchid we have, we can give the best way how to care our orchid. for more clarity in distinguishing species of this orchid types, I also attach an illustration (as you can see above) of Monopodial Orchid and Simpodial Orchid.

The Various Type of Orchids

Orchids are one of the most famous flowers in the worlds. These flowers famous for their beauty, exotic, and variety. Orchids, with their Latin word orchidaceous, have one of the largest varieties of species in the plants kingdom. There are over 25,000 species and more than 100,000 hybrids all around the world. They spread from north to south, east to west, from equator to Arctic. The only continent where people can’t find orchid’s is Antarctica. There so many kinds of orchids, people usually get confused on how many types of orchids in the world. Generally, there are three different types of orchids based on where they live; Terrestrial orchids, Epiphyte orchids, and Lithophyte orchids.

Terrestrial orchids include orchid’s species that plant on the grounds. These types are the most popular because it can grow in any kind of soil, from a dry soil in Australia to fertile soil in South America. For some example on these kind of orchids are Zygopetalum Crinitum that grow under the trees in Brazil and Cypripedium Calceolus usually found in North America and Europe.

Epiphyte orchids are orchids species that make home on trees. They are not parasites plants but need trees to support their root. These types of orchids usually grow best on a place with warm and humid conditions. That’s why Epiphyte orchids usually found in tropical area like Northern India, Southeast Asia, Australia and Polynesia. The most famous species of Epiphyte is Dendrobiums.

The last types of orchids are Lithophyte orchid, the kind of orchids that life between Terrestrial and Epiphyte types. They usually live on rocky cliff faces, stony grounds, and sometimes near vertical slopes. One of the Lithophyte species is  Cytopodium Andersoniae, which live in flat rocks surface.

Planting Orchids for Beginner

Gardening is a hobby with many advantages. It is relaxing, enjoyable, and of course the flowers make your garden become beautiful. There are thousands variant of flowers all over the world, you maybe confuse which one you prefer to plant. One of the most popular flowers is orchid. Orchidaceous have biggest variations in the world, with hundreds kinds of shape and colors. They also can grow everywhere from dry to humid climate area. So, are you interesting on plant orchids and discover their beauty?

The first thing you have to notice about plant orchids is their type separate into three type of orchids based on where they live and grow. The first type is terrestrial orchids that live on the ground. However, many do not grow in the same soil that we might think of as soil. The second type is epiphyte orchids which grow in trees. And the last are Lithophytes orchid. These kind of orchids make home in the rocky places or slopes.

After you recognize which kind of orchids you want to plant, you need to choose which media and orchids pot you need. There are three types of pots that are orchids able to grow. The first one is plastic pot. If you are interesting to plant orchid indoor, plastic pot suitable for this kind of orchid because it’s lightweight. But you need to be careful because it made of plastic tends to dry out more than clay pot, it might make the root become putrid. And then there is terracotta pot which made of clay, wood and ceramic. It may more stable you don’t need to worry it will easily broken. The last is basket pot that made of plastic, wood, and pottery.