Weird! Plants That Do Not Need Soil!

Have you ever heard of a plant that doesn’t need soil to thrive? There are a whole group of such plants! They are called epiphytes! You might know them as air plants.

I first became interested in epiphytic plants when I was leading an after-school garden club for elementary students, years ago. Planning a holiday plant unit using Rhipsalis cactus cuttings, I learned that epiphytic plants draw the nutrients and moisture they need to thrive from the air!

Most of these plants live in tropical areas of the world and sub-tropical areas of our country. This means places like Costa Rica and Brazil have epiphytes as do Hawaii, Florida, and the Carolinas. My list is not all-inclusive.

But where there is a tree canopy in the tropical rainforest or high humidity with the Carolinas, you’ll find epiphytes thriving! Epiphytes adapted to be able to survive in these environments.

How?

Great question!

These plants live in the canopy to receive enough light. If they were on the ground, in a dense tropical rainforest or subtropical garden, light would not reach them in any signifcant amount. There, high on the tree limbs and trunks, epiphytes have specialized leaves that collect rainwater, then it drains away quickly to escape a chance of rotting in a moist forest floor. The humidity in the air provides the water these plants need as well. Roots do mosst of the collecting of water and nutrients right from the humid air that surrounds them.