Orchid Myths... Busted!

[The Orchid Boy]

In this thread I am going to tell of three common orchid myths and why they aren't true. If you have more myths add them.

1. Orchids are hard to grow.
Orchids are not hard to grow! They have wants and needs and lots grow in normal house conditions. They are like other houseplants. But I don't recommend watering orchids with ice like with those poor 'Just add Ice' Orchids.

2. All orchids are tropical.
Orchids live all over the world and there are probably some native orchids where you live. (Unless you live in Antarctica!) Speaking of Antarctica, there are orchids native to Alaska and places around the Arctic Circle.

3. Orchids are parasitic.
Most people get this myth because they saw or heard that some orchids grow on trees. They are not parasitic. There are three types of symbiotic relationships: parasitism, mutualism, and commesualism. In parisitism, one organism is benefited and the other is harmed. Example: Fleas on a dog. In mutualism, both organisms are benefited. Example: Clown fish and anenome. In commesualism one organism is benefited and the other organism isn't helped or harmed. Example: Orchid on a tree.

[Lady_Vamp]

I like your busted myths, but I have a few correction for #3 :

A symbiotic relationship is one that benefits both organisms. Commensalism is when one organism feeds on the rest of another organism's meal.

[Discus]

re: myth3 - There are some orchids that are actually parasites - they are by far the minority however. Such orchids are dependent on fungi which in turn derive nutrition from trees. Such orchids have no chlorophyll and are thus obligate parasites.

[The Orchid Boy]

No I'm afraid I have it right and you don't, Lady Vamp.
Definition of symbiotic: living in symbiosis, or having an interdependent relationship Symbiotic | Define Symbiotic at Dictionary.com
Definition of symbiosis: the living together of two dissimilar organisms, as in mutualism, commensalism, amensalism, or parasitism
Symbiosis | Define Symbiosis at Dictionary.com

Definition of commensalism: relationship between two organisms where one organism benefits but the other is neutral (there is no harm or benefit)
Commensalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See this link also: Symbiosis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[camille1585]

I agree with Orchid Boy on this one, he's entirely correct.

Lady Vamp- As to symbiosis meaning only relationships benefiting both organisms, that is true in the very strictest sense of it's definition.
However there's a bit of debate on what 'symbiosis' encompasses. Some scientists believe only the strict sense, while others take it as being interactions between organisms, which is the broadest sense. And then there's broad, and broad. For some broad = mutualism, parasitism and commensalism, while others also add in neutalism, amensalism, competition and in some extreme cases, predation.

[Lady_Vamp]

Sorry, I checked again and in english you are right (but not in french )

PS : Never use Wikipedia as a reference, it often has incorrect or incomplete information.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Lady_Vamp

PS : Never use Wikipedia as a reference, it often has incorrect or incomplete information.

You won't believe this but a friend, during his PhD managed to get Wikipedia accepted as a valid reference for a peer reviewed and subsequently published scientific paper. Wikipedia isn't always inaccurate, but he did get in as a reference based on the arguement that a study had found Wikipedia to be comparably reliable for scientific information to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Who would have thought!

[Lady_Vamp]

Impressive, maybe I could try that trick with my teachers then
They all have a profound hate for Wikipedia.

[camille1585]

Me neither, I don't even DARE try to pull that off with my Prof. He'll chew my head off for even considering Wikipedia as a legitimate reference. Heck, he won't accept any reference that begins with www.

[Lady_Vamp]

I have a teacher like that too!
And I have 5 paperworks to give him