Roots penatrating past bark

[Orchidbyte]

I have been into orchids and plants for over 40 years, I have noticed that several orchids and other epiphyte's roots had penetrated past bark area and had very well developed root systems in that area. I have noticed that with my home grown orchids and other epiphyte's.

During the early 80s I was lucky enough to go on a collecting trip to Mexico, it was during this time when we were pulling plants off of downed trees that I noticed large chunks of bark coming off with well developed roots between the bark and wood layer of host, and in often cases better roots. We were collecting in areas where they had just downed the trees and so we were allowed to strip the trees bare, so these trees were very much alive the days prior.

So my question is:

Can epiphytic plants, use those sub bark roots to draw moisture and nutrients from host tree? Sort of like a parasite, maybe.

[Dendy83]

I am not well versed in wild orchids, however my first thought was, yes it can use the moisture that's already there. Not as a parasite, but the area just happens to be more protected and moist, so it's benefiting from that. To me, a parasite leeches nutrients, which the orchids aren't necessarily doing, maybe inadvertantly.

[Cym Ladye]

If you look up the definitions of parasite and epiphyte, you will see the first "sucks" nutrients from the tree; the second merely attaches to the tree and only gets moisture and nutrients which happen to "pass their way", so to speak.

CL

[Orchidbyte]

I know the difference between a parasite and and epiphyte, what I saw was mostly orchid roots staying on top of wood layer between bark and wood, while other plants such as bromeliads, ferns and other epiphyte like plants had much more root matter digging into actual wood of host tree. So it seem to me that the roots digging into wood would be utilizing energy from host.

[isurus79]

To add to Cym Ladye's point, as far as I know there are zero species of parasitic orchids that are epiphytes. They only use the tree as a place to live, not as a source of nutrition.

[Ray]

I think that what you saw was merely the roots growing to where the moisture tends to be retained longer. That is also why rupicolous plants tend to have much of their root system penetrating into cracks and crevices.

Nest a pot loosely inside of another, and in time you'll find a lot of roots in-between them, too.

[Cym Ladye]

I know a cattleya grower who "pots up" methodically by doing just what Ray suggested. Pot within pot within pot and no mix of any kind. Plants are as happy as can be so must be getting nutrients from the water which passes over them.