Can Phalaenopsis only have fibrous roots to live?

Phalaenopsis is an evergreen species in the Orchidaceae family, named for its flower shape like Phalaenopsis. But Phalaenopsis is a kind of epiphyte with long aerial root, and its root system is fleshy root, so it does not need to rely on ordinary soil to grow. And it is difficult to feed it with ordinary soil, let alone raise it well. After all, ordinary soil is easy to harden and its air permeability is not strong.

Because the fleshy roots of Phalaenopsis prefer a soft and breathable substrate, and the matrix is only for the plant to fix the root system, it does not necessarily need the substrate to be fertile. If the nutrients in the matrix are insufficient, the nutrients can be replenished by topdressing, and the air root exposed outside the basin also has a strong absorption capacity, which can absorb a lot of nutrients, water and air from the air.

Recently, a friend asked:? Perhaps this is also a question that many friends question. In fact, the fibrous root of Phalaenopsis is also air root. Not only that, all of its roots are aerial roots. And these aerial roots generally grow axillary buds at internodes, and plant reproduction often depends on these axillary buds.

And as mentioned in several previous articles shared by the editor, Phalaenopsis can be propagated using air roots with axillary buds. Therefore, even if there are only the so-called fibrous roots, Phalaenopsis can often continue to survive, after all, these fibrous roots are air roots. On the contrary, the plant is not easy to survive without these fibrous roots, at least the plant is not growing well.

Phalaenopsis can not only use air roots to reproduce, but its air roots can also carry out photosynthesis to form nutrients, and these air roots can also absorb the substances needed for growth from the air. Therefore, if someone's Phalaenopsis has only fibrous roots for various reasons, there is no need to worry, as long as it is managed in accordance with scientific maintenance methods, it can continue to survive. And the axillary buds on the fibrous root will sprout and grow, and they can still branch and scatter leaves.