Where do orchids grow? 

Orchids are one of the largest groups of flowering plants, and they have adapted to live in a wide range of habitats. You can find orchids growing in marshes and bogs, high up in trees, and even on rocks! Orchids are able to grow in some of these strange places because they have fungi that live in their roots. These fungi help the orchids get nutrients from the environment around them. Because of this relationship with fungi, orchids are able to grown in places that other plants can't. This helps the orchids because they don't have to compete with other plants for space, light, or water. 

Most orchids are epiphytes. The word "epiphyte" comes from the Greek language, "epi-" meaning "on top of" and "-phyte" meaning "plants." Orchids that are epiphytes grow on top of other plants, like on the bark of a tree. Other orchids are lithophytes. "litho-" also comes from Greek, meaning "rock". These orchids grow on rocky surfaces.  Still other orchids, including many of the ones in North America, are terrestrial, meaning that they grow in soil like most plants.

Click on these resources to read more about the amazing ways orchids can live in the wild.

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