What are aerial orchids? A quick guide to cultivation basics

Aerial orchids is a general term for those orchids that can freely cling to trees and rocks, obtaining water and nutrients from the air through aerial roots, so they are also called epiphytic orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Cattleya, Oncidium and Bulbophyllum, all of which can be called aerial orchids or epiphytic orchids.

The wide variety of aerial orchids mostly grow in tropical rainforests, attached to tree trunks or rocks, using the humidity in the air to absorb nutrients; if they are grown in pots like terrestrial orchids, they will grow poorly due to poor air permeability; by restoring the environment of their mountain wild habitat, they grow well and bloom easily. For aerial orchids grown on rocks in landscape bonsai, cultivation and management are both relatively convenient.

When cultivating, use different methods depending on the size and height of the plant; for shorter plants, simply attach them to a flat surface or slope on the rock, then spread thin mud around them; for taller plants, dig a hole or wedge them into a crevice to increase stability, likewise spreading thin mud, and after the roots have attached firmly, wash away the mud with water to increase air permeability; during management, simply keep water in the pot at all times, and fertilizer can be added to the water at the appropriate time.