Epiphytes

plants · rainforest · survival · nature's hitchhikers

Hitchhiker plants. Epiphytes are plants that grow on top of other plants, like moss and orchids living on tree branches. They don't steal anything from their host plant, they just use it as a free place to live.

Rain is their drink. Instead of getting water from soil through roots, epiphytes catch moisture and nutrients straight from the air, rain, and any bits of debris that collect around them. This is how they survive without needing soil at all.

Tree apartments. In rainforests, epiphytes can gather so much stuff that they become super heavy, sometimes weighing as much as several cars all piled together on a single tree.

Home for many creatures. Epiphytes create little homes and neighborhoods in the trees for insects, frogs, fungi, and tons of other organisms that depend on them to survive.

Easy houseplants. Epiphytes make great indoor plants because they don't need much water or soil, making them perfect for kids who want to grow something cool without a lot of fuss.