Orchids are remarkable and unique flowers. The purity and decency of these flowers make them aptly elegant and stylish décor at birthdays and weddings, whereas their bright colors and distinctive shapes and patterns make them perfect for the bouquets and arrangements.
The most important part of the Orchid plant is roots as the health of the whole plant depends on them. Mostly the Orchids grown in the houses, greenhouses, and gardens are epiphytes. They originate from regions having tropical conditions which are most favorable for the plant growth. Some Orchids, that are inhabitant of temperate climates such as Cypripediums, start out growing on the ground. Conversely, thousands of plants grow in tropical regions, causing the shortage of growing space. Therefore, epiphytic Orchids start climbing into shrubs and trees in search of more light. They have roots which support them in climbing into higher places.
Orchid roots have two cores. The inner core is called Cortex which is very hard and contains sustenance, whereas the outer core is known as Velamen which is fairly an amazing material as it absorbs water, oxygen, minerals from the fertilizer, and adheres to any support so well that it becomes very difficult to detach these gripping roots. Thus, these Orchids exploit any moisture or nutrients with help of their roots.
Different Orchid species have different roots. Some species have large, round, and thick roots having a diameter of approximately 2 cm, others are thin like hair. The color of Orchid roots also varies a lot. They can be white, silver, grey, brown, red, purple, or green. These roots can be scaly, smooth, spiky, or warty. Some Orchid growers are so experienced that they can tell the type of an Orchid just by looking at their roots.
When growing Orchids at home, it is important to take good care of Orchid roots. Generally, they need proper air circulation which can be provided by putting Orchid plant in a pot having big holes on its sides and also at the bottom.
Apart from holed-pot, the potting mix also plays a vital role in providing adequate air flow. It is highly recommended to use specialized for Orchids potting mix for the healthy growth as they are made up of both organic (e.g. fir bark) and inorganic (e.g. nitrogen) elements.
It should be remembered that roots are more essential than flowers as the plant will not survive without roots. Orchid plants get the surviving strength and necessary minerals from their roots. In order to make the Orchid plant live long and bear colorful flowers yearly, their roots should be kept healthy.
