Epiphytes

Terrarium plants - Epiphytes - Let your terrarium go green!

These plants grow on other plants. Algae on aquatic plants are also epiphytes, but here we're talking about those that grow on trees and shrubs. Unlike parasites, they don't tap into the host plant's vascular system to supply themselves with water and nutrients. They merely perch on it, which gives them access to more light than on the forest floor. In northern latitudes these are mainly mosses, lichens and algae on the bark of trunks and branches; in the warmer regions of the world, countless "higher" plant species join them. There are particularly many epiphytes among orchids and ferns, and Central and South America is known for its countless epiphytic bromeliads. Even cacti, otherwise inhabitants of arid regions, grow there as epiphytes in humid tropical forests, including the mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis) and the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera). Epiphytes are most common in regions with lots of rain and fog, but various Tillandsia species also occur in dry forests and even semi-deserts.

In cultivation, many epiphytes need a loose substrate to root in. "Atmospheric" epiphytes, on the other hand, only need to be attached to a base, because they absorb water and nutrients through their leaves or aerial roots. Epiphytes from rainforests usually need high humidity and frequent moistening. In contrast, the so-called gray tillandsias in particular must not be kept too moist. They should be able to dry off after spraying and need air movement.