How long do orchids live?

[IncurablePlantHead]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

Well of course nutrients enter lake, river, etc. water from their environments. All of the fish, amphibians, turtles, decomposing algae, contribute nitrogen and other nutrients to the water. Nutrients are perpetually cycled between the atmosphere, soil, water, vegetation and animals.

True

[Whimgrinder]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

Well of course nutrients enter lake, river, etc. water from their environments. All of the fish, amphibians, turtles, decomposing algae, contribute nitrogen and other nutrients to the water. Nutrients are perpetually cycled between the atmosphere, soil, water, vegetation and animals.

That was what I was saying as well: undoubtedly every river on Earth has acquired dissolved solids in addition to what came with the rain.

[SilverShaded]

Originally Posted by Whimgrinder

That was what I was saying as well: undoubtedly every river on Earth has acquired dissolved solids in addition to what came with the rain.

Not if the river started a few hundred metres away at the top of a sandstone mountain. And what does this have to do with epiphytic or lithophytic orchids, i'm not sure what point your trying to make.

---------- Post added at 05:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:00 AM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

Epiphytes might not be as nutrient-deprived as people think. More and more plants are being found to grow in association with nitrogen-fixing organisms like cyanobacteria (blue-green algae.) Many cacti do. Perhaps orchids?

Actually your post got me thinking, i noticed often that trees with no lichen, dont seem to get many, or any orchids, whereas trees that have a lot of lichen, also seem to get a lot of orchids. At the time i thought maybe its because the seeds get lodged on the tree easier, but maybe they steal some nutrients of the lichen as well?