Understand the Various Stages of a Growing Orchid

Growth form is a unique to an orchid in that when one looks at the roots they are very, very specifically structured for the area where the orchid plant will grow. If we look at a plant, we can see the plant where the roots are coming out and the root is surrounded by what is at this stage is a very white structure called the velamen. The leaf tip or the root tip can be seen to be very green. This is indicative that this plant is healthy, it's growing well. It's very interesting because right at that green area the plant root is very sticky. That's stickiness helps to glue the plant to the leaf stems and trees that it grows on. The white velamen has several reasons and purposes in the function of the orchid. One, it helps to absorb water during rain storms and during the life of an adult orchid it becomes the home to the fungus which will help the orchid grow when the seeds are produced.