It is very common for people to have the orchids in your gardens hanging from trees, or inside your home in a pot. However, instead of putting the orchids in pots, you can choose to have them tied to a tree trunk or bark that does not contain any type of resin.
Watching them grow and bloom on the branches is a precious thing. Nevertheless, it is very important to choose the species you want to place well, since otherwise you could run the risk of losing it as a result of weather conditions.
Things to keep in mind before putting them on trees
Orchids are generally tropical plants that like places with a warm and stable climate. Thus, most of them do not withstand sub-zero temperatures., so that if you wanted to place one, for example, Phalaenopsis in a tree in the north of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain), where there may be frosts of up to -4ºC, surely it would die that day, despite the fact that these frosts are of short duration.
And is that every plant depends largely on the climate in the area. That is why if you want to have orchids in the trees you must keep in mind that, so that they are beautiful all year long, You must choose the ones that best suit the conditions in your area.
What are the orchids that best resist the cold?
Bearing in mind that the vast majority of orchids originate from warm jungles, I have thought it better to talk to you 'only' about those resistant to cold. There are not many, but there are enough so that you can enjoy a tropical garden in a place where the temperatures are rather temperate:
Cymbidium
Image - Wikimedia / Michael Wolf
It is a genus of evergreen orchids native to Australia, Africa, and parts of Asia. They are usually terrestrial, but those found in the market are epiphytes, something that is great to know since it means that they grow on trees 😉.
They produce beautiful flowers of various colors: yellow, green, white or pink. They resist weak frosts down to -3ºC.
Epidendrum
Image - Wikimedia / Filipe Fortes from Seattle, United States
Known as star orchids, they are native to tropical America, found from Florida to northern Argentina. Many of them are epiphytes, or lithophytes, that is, they grow leaning on rocks or stones.
They produce a wide variety of flowers, white, pink, purple, red, yellow. They resist the cold, but the frost hurts them.
Oncidium
Image - Flickr / Eduardo A. Pacheco
Known as the dancing lady, these orchids are native from Puerto Rico to Florida, where they live in the rainforests. They develop as epiphytic or lithophytic plants.
The flowers are usually yellow or brown, although they can also be orange. They do not resist frost, but the cold does not hurt them.
How are the trees to be?
While orchids are by no means invasive plants or parasites, not all trees are suitable. In fact, only the one that meets these characteristics will serve you:
- Must be adult, or at least be taller than 3 meters with a trunk of at least 20 centimeters.
- It has to be planted in the ground for a long time, at least 2 years so that its root system is well attached to the ground.
- It should not exude gum or resin, something that is typical in Rubber plant for example.
- Neither will the eucalyptus neither the Pine treesThey are one of the trees that emit gases that prevent anything - or almost nothing - from growing under their branches.
When to put orchids on trees?
Image - Wikimedia / Dinesh Valke from Thane, India
To plant them in a tree the best time to do it is during the season in which the plant is in flower, or during the warmest and rainiest months of the year, which depend on where you are in the hemisphere.
Remember that the branch or trunk of the tree that you use should not receive any type of light or direct sunlight throughout the day, since it would burn the leaves and the flower that has been produced as they are not prepared to grow exposed to the King Star.
How to do it correctly?
To place the orchid on the trunk, remove the plant from the container in which you originally have it, and clean each of its roots with distilled or rain water, in such a way that they do not have any trace of dirt. Next, locate the place where you are going to place it and try to tie the orchid to the tree. I recommend you to try tying it with a plant fiber material like cotton or raffia. Keep in mind that the roots that touch the tree will stick to it in a few days: they only need a little time.
During this growing season, and just tied the plant to the tree, it is important that you water it daily, since the exposed roots tend to dehydrate more easily than when they are covered.
If the first year after you tie it to the tree your orchid does not bloom, do not worry, it usually happens. It is important that you have a lot of patience and wait, as it could flourish later. If the conditions are right, surely sooner or later it will give you that much-desired joy alegría.
I hope it has been useful to you.
I would like to know if the orchid plant and its subsequent development can cause problems in the chosen tree.- In this case I mention a lemon tree that dried up and I would like to know if the orchid plant that is in perfect condition had something to do with it.- I have also been told that citrus in general are very suitable and recommended for posing these epiphytic plants.- Thank you.- Gloria de Entre Ríos.
Do not worry. Orchids only use trees for support. They absorb the water through its own roots, transform it into sap made from its leaves and do not harm the support at all, in your case a lemon tree. If it dried, it would be due to a lemon tree disease.
I have a plant that tied to a laurel more than 10 years ago and despite the fact that it grew a lot and it already almost covers the entire perimeter of the trunk of about 15 cm. diameter and being rosy never gave flowers because it can be, I thank whoever can give me an answer
my orchids are in a pine trunk in dry trunks they told me that it will hurt you, I would like to know if it is true
I need help, it is the first time I have planted an orchid, I TIE IT WITH TREE SHELLS TO A NIN TREE BECAUSE THE ROOTS WERE VERY SHORT, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THE ROOTS NEED AIR, I don't know if it's fine how I did it , I need help please
I don't want to directly plant the orchids to the pines. Just tack with wires. Orchids keep their pot. The proximity to the pine does them bad ???
Hello Matilde.
Yes, it can hurt them quite a bit. Pines are plants that do not let others grow near them 🙁.
A greeting.
hello could you help me? I want to put some orchids on a fig tree, in winter it loses all its leaves, can it die? for the cold ?, thank you !!!
Hi Alejandra.
I do not recommend putting them on the fig tree. The leaves of these trees emit a gas that damages many plants, including orchids.
A greeting.
HELLO, I want to know if I can transfer an orchid from a tree to a Pindo palm? But there is an important wall and on the other side there is a Pine, or he placed it in a pot after almost 10 years it gave me beautiful flowers (which I already enjoy !!)
Hello Monica.
If there is a pine nearby, I do not recommend that you move the orchid, since most likely it will not occur.
There are plants, such as pines, that produce a gas - you cannot see it with the naked eye - that what it does is prevent some plants from being able to grow under or next to them.
If you want, you can transfer your orchid to a pot, when it is not in bloom.
A greeting.
Hello, can someone tell me if orchids are placed under a paradise ???
Hello Maria.
You can put them without problems.
A greeting.
Hi! Would an orchid tied to an Elephant's Foot plant, about 2 meters tall, survive inside?
First of all, Thanks!
Hello J. Alberto.
It could be good for you, yes. But keep in mind that the orchid needs a high humidity, so it is advisable to put a humidifier nearby if the environment is dry.
Greetings.
Can you plant orchids on a manga tree and an avocado tree?
I have an avocado, which has its orchids but the fruit falls off early and in large quantities. Could it be the orchids' fault? Someone remove that question for me, thank you.
Hi Carlitos.
No, I don't think it's because of orchids, as these are harmless plants for trees.
I do think that perhaps the tree is lacking in compost, so I recommend adding guano, or herbivorous animal manure from spring to summer. Here is your plug in case it can be useful to you.
Greetings.
Greetings. I have a question: to put the orchid on a tree or trunk, it must have already sprouted? Or can it be planted from seed in one?
Hi marcos.
In nature the seed germinates already in the tree, but in cultivation it is better to plant it when the orchid has already grown a little. Think that the seeds are very small and light, so the wind can carry them away quickly.
Greetings.