How Do You Tell the Difference Between an Orchid Stem and a Root?
If you have recently bought orchid plants for yourself or for a gift, then you will probably soon be in a quandary regarding how to tell the difference between a plant orchid stem and a root. Even experienced orchid gardeners will occasionally get this question, as the differences between plant orchid stems and roots can be quite subtle. The key is to remember that plant orchids are not root-like plants, but conifers.
All orchids actually stem from the same orchid plant or root, called a “stem”. The stem itself is actually attached at the base of the orchid. Each stem has only one “leaf” or “branch”, and the entire plant has no stem at all. If you have ever taken a picture of a flower and taken it with your digital camera, then you probably saw at least one orchid stem that was actually attached to the orchid plant. The picture of a flower with a stem in it is called a “stalk”, and the orchid stem is the actual orchid “stalk”.
All orchids have leaves, but not all of them have twigs. A lot of orchids stem from just a single stem or blossom, called a “spiral stem”, which is what you usually see when you take orchid pictures. Other orchids, such as Paphiopedilum or Fichus, have several “spiral stems” attached to each other. In this case, you may see three or four orchids growing from a single stem. Most orchids actually have twigs, but they grow in different directions.
How do you tell the difference between an orchid stem and a root? Well, the orchid leaf is actually called a pratum. When an orchid grows from a trunk like that, it is called a “pratum” or “stem”. On the other hand, an orchid stem is actually a leaf on its own.
So, the orchid stem is actually a branch. Orchids actually have roots as well as twigs and branches. Just like trees, orchids have roots that fill in the spaces between their twigs and branches. This is how orchids get their roots.
How do you tell the difference between an orchid stem and a root? If you have ever taken a picture of orchid flowers, you probably notice that some have buds on their orchids while others don’t. Buds provide the plant with essential nutrients and water.