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Orchid Companion
Orchid companions are as much beautiful and interesting as orchids themselves – the plants the beauty and elegancy of which we admire.
Companions grow close to orchids, composing the entire one.
As we can not view the orchids separately from the community in which they grow, in this heading we give the description of most widespread plants of orchid companions.
And at the first place this is Bromeliaceae
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Bromeliads
Bromeliads are very beautiful and interesting plants, which unfortunately are not widely spread amongst the growers.
The only exception is well known pineapple, which became known to Europeans in 1493 as a result of the second navigation of Columbus to America.
The motherland of Bromeliads is countries of America continent, from the south of USA to Chile and Argentina.
For instance, moss Tillandsia usneoides does not look like at all as a pineapple, but it is included in Bromeliads family.
Bromeliads grow on the branches of trees, on smooth palm bodies, caught by edge of a leaf on thin twig, close to the trees, in grass and on stones.
These plants are very flexible in their movements and the place they find comfortable, Bromeliads organize the colonies.
Bromeliads like the light and prefer head of the trees, but the ones which grow on the ground also tend to the sun.
As usual, Bromeliads look like a rosette of leaves, in the centre of which rain water gathers and various insects live.
Flower-bearing stem with lavender, white, pink, yellow or black flowers grows from a rosette. Leaves can be spotted, stripped, one color, with barbs on leaves edge, smooth and soft.
Often, before blooming leaves become crimson. Tillandsia stands separately.
Forms of these plants amazing and make us think about the imagination of nature.
This family is various and comprises 51 genuses, including 2500 species.
Besides, few thousands of hybrids exist. All of them have different forms, sizes, color of leaves and flowers.
In Bromeliads family the most popular are:
Aechmea (circa 200 species).
Практически все они являются "резервуарными" растениями, поселяются на ветках и стволах деревьев, прикрепляясь корнями к коре, на земле.
Almost all of these plants are "reservoir" plants, living on branches and bodies of trees, catching by roots on rind, or ground.
Aechmea consists of cupped rosette with fall leaves.
Coriaceous, lorate leaves usually have sharp serratures, which can jab.
Blooming lasts for several weeks or sometimes even for few months.
Billbergia (circa 60 species) - plants look like Aechmea, but the rosette usually of vase or jug form, has few narrow leaves.
Leaves, especially on underneath side have white or silver spots. Blooming lasts for 2-3 weeks.
Guzmania (circa 150 species) - the plant is "reservoir" Bromeliad/ Majority of species have one color dark-green leaves.
Neoregelia (circa 100 species) - the plant has cupped rosette or rosette in jug form.
Flower-bearing stem located in the water inside the rosette. Leaves, before blooming, may have red-crimson color.
Cryptanthus (circa 50 species) - plants of this species are ground plants and consist of rosette in the form of star.
Vriesea (circa 250 species) - plants have wide rosette, consisted from spotted and stripped leaves. Flower-bearing stem has form of crest.
Tillandsia (circa 550 species) - the plant have various forms and sizes. Main colors are grey and green. Covered with minute paleolas.
Quesnelia Quesnelia quesneliana.
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