air roots, SH roots and terrestrial roots -OR- a root is a root

[DirtyCoconuts]

I am a firm believer in the notion that most of these plants can and will adapt a LOT to the way we grow them and that if you are going to change the culture you will most likely be growing new roots in order for the plant to thrive in that new culture.

I cannot find the recent thread but someone was remarking about the difference between an air root and a SH root.

here is a Phal that has a an air root that has grown into the LECA and is thriving

Gardena and friends by J Solo, on Flickr

this is an Arachnis Maggie oei growing an air root into the soil
This and that by J Solo, on Flickr


and this is a dendrobium that is ONLY air roots...it is likely getting some assistance from the other plant in the tree's cruck, but it is also clearly getting a lot given it's vitality
Neighborhood by J Solo, on Flickr



so what's the point? if you allow the roots to grow into the medium then they will be fine! All the experienced growers know this but i see it discussed a lot so i hope this can be a helpful resource

[Ray]

Back when "alternative" cultures such as semi-hydroponics and full water culture were being developed, there was a PhD candidate at Texas A&M who got involved.

His "conclusion" (supposition?) was that orchid roots growing in contact with some sort of substrate will grow optimized for that environment, but aerial roots, which are apparently "seeking" a substrate are a lot more biologically flexible, so can readily change once contact is made.

In the decades since then, I believe that the first part of that is closer to being true, as if you bury an aerial root in moss, it most often won't "change" and may ultimately die, but - being that is grew in air - an aerial root that stays in the air may very well adjust future growth for whatever substrate it encounters.

[DirtyCoconuts]

that is my humble anecdotal observation as well.

i will even go this far, any root grown in a culture that is move to a DRYER culture ( ie a sphag potted orchid to a mount) most roots will survive but a move to a wetter culture ( mount to SH) you will have a lot of roots that die as new ones grow in.

do you notice that too, Ray?

[Ray]

Yes, I agree, but as is the case with damned near everything "orchid".... IT DEPENDS!

[SouthPark]

DC ----- these words here from somebody had my interest for a while:

Click Here.

You'll see Ray there too hahaha.

Even though a bit cliche now ------ the process of roots meeting a media like a watery environment (or more watery than usual environment) on their own terms ----- and having some ability to change and handle the new environment (within some limits for the conditions) ----- would be awesome to understand --- as in what the changes are ....... such as training at high altitude and developing more haemoglobin hahahahaha