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Aerial roots on orchids are not as malleable like the humidity-soaked roots, sitting in contact with sphagnum moss. The brittle roots that have been sitting above the potting medium can become more malleable when soaked in lukewarm to warmer water—never hot.
The aerial roots of epiphytic orchids consist of a string-like pith in the center, enveloped by a thick layer of cortex with green-colored chloroplasts which are responsible for photosynthesis. Surrounding the cortex is velamen, consisting of one to several layers of dead cells.
In this article, we will explore the beneficial nature of aerial orchid roots and their care in greater detail.
Aerial roots perform important functions for the orchid. Like the leaves and stems, aerial roots aid in photosynthesis. Aerial roots also absorb water and nutrients in the air. Additionally, aerial roots aid the orchid in affixing itself to its host.
Orchids have two kinds of roots: aerial and “normal” ones. The second type is the same kind that most ground-dwelling plants have, and they act in the same way, by growing in the leaf litter and other matter that gathers in the crooks of branches and cracks in the bark where epiphytic orchids grow.
Aerial roots receive what they need from the air and because of that, they may appear ‘drier’ or ‘wilted’ than buried roots, but that doesn’t mean they are! When examining the roots of your Phalaenopsis orchid, you will notice that they're thick and coated with a spongy material.
Orchids grow aerial roots because it's in their nature. In the wild, aerial roots help anchor orchids to trees or other structures they are attached to. High humidity, which most orchids prefer, can also inspire them to put out aerial roots to absorb more moisture from the air.
To repot an orchid with air roots, 1) soak the entire orchid for 10 to 30 minutes below the stem or rhizome before the repotting process to make the air roots malleable. 2) Determine whether or not each aerial root needs to be inserted in the pot or remain on the outside.
Those are aerial roots, and some orchids use them to get extra nutrients. You’re probably wondering how you can repot your orchid if it has two sets of roots, but don’t worry! We’ve compiled this step-by-step guide to help you repot your orchid and take care of its aerial roots.
Which Orchids Have Aerial Roots? Not all orchid plants will develop aerial roots. To understand why some orchids grow aerial roots while others do not, it helps to learn about how orchids grow in the wild. There are three main ways that orchids grow: in the ground, on trees, and on rocks. Terrestrial orchids