Mid-Atlantic Gardening: May flowers...& why I garden., 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Stormy

"Epi" is simply short for "Epiphylum".....They are a class of plants that grow up in the nooks and crannies of trees in the Rain Forests anchored in place by fleshy roots...In other words--they do not grow on the Forrest floor. They get their nourishment from decaying bits and pieces of vegetation and insects that falls on them.
Orchids are a good example of Epiphytes....so are Tillandsias (air plants)...
Ever notice that Orchids are never potted up in soil when you buy them? Just loose bits of bark and such....

A Bromiliad is another good example of an Epiphyte--they have the "cups" in the center to catch things....the ones you are supposed to keep a little water in at all times...(rain).
If you go to a Conservatory--Bromiliads and Tillandsias are just anchored, and wired, to a moss-covered wall somewhere.

If you want to go to the "Orchid Cactus" Forum--that is where you can read all about this...ask questions, etc....

Well--this may be a simplistic explanation....but you get the idea?

Gita

In this picture of my table on Mother's Day Sunday at HD (I already posted this)--that big, pink and green thing on the ground on the left is a Bromiliad....