What is the difference between orchids and spider plants? A quick guide to telling the two apart
I. Orchids
1. They are monocotyledonous, perennial plants, usually growing 20-40 cm tall, with long, tube-like roots. Their leaves grow in clusters from the stem, are needle-shaped, and usually form bundles of two or three.
2. Although they have many leaves, the leaves are not messy, and they stay green all year round. They have a history of one thousand years in China and are highly valuable; the ancients held them in very high regard.
II. Spider plants
1. This is a perennial-root type of plant. Both its roots and stems are columnar, looking especially thick and fleshy, with many fibrous roots. Its leaves grow from the base, are rather needle-like in shape, very narrow and long, 20-45 cm in length and 1-2 cm in width, with a relatively long, pointed leaf tip.
2. Its most distinctive feature is that once it matures, it will from time to time produce runners, about 30-60 cm long. Its flower stalks are relatively slender and longer than the leaves, and they droop naturally. The inflorescence is raceme-like, usually white, with several flowers clustered into a bundle. It usually blooms at the turn of spring and summer, and if it is kept indoors in the harsh winter, it can still bloom.
III. Differences
1. They are not the same species at all. The former has creeping stems that tend toward a pale reddish-brown color, and the stem at the base can grow to 0.5 cm long. It usually has relatively few branches and generally blooms at the top of the stem. The latter has relatively short, thick roots and stems, and its leaves grow like swords, about 30 cm long and 1-2 cm wide.
2. Geographic location: The former is widely found in Henan, Shandong and many other regions, and can be grown throughout China; it is also found in Japan and Korea. The latter comes from southern Africa and is grown all over the world.
3. Varieties: The former includes varieties such as Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium and Cymbidium kanran, while the latter includes varieties such as purple spider plant, golden-leaf spider plant and silver-edged spider plant.