{"id":30107,"date":"2019-04-16T20:06:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-17T04:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/?p=30107"},"modified":"2019-04-22T19:29:49","modified_gmt":"2019-04-23T03:29:49","slug":"happy-healthy-orchid-roots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/16\/happy-healthy-orchid-roots\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy, Healthy Orchid Roots"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_close_up_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31656 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_close_up_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Orchid roots growing attached to wooden mount, Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_close_up_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_close_up_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_close_up_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_close_up_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_4_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31660 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_4_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Moth Orchid roots, air roots, Phalaenopsis, Phal, silvery-white root with green growing tip\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_4_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_4_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_4_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Dendrobium_roots_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31652 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Dendrobium_roots_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Dendrobium orchid roots and leaves, air roots, white roots, Pacific Orchid Expo 2010, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Dendrobium_roots_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Dendrobium_roots_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Dendrobium_roots_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Healthy roots are essential for healthy orchids. Many people are tempted to cut off their orchid&#8217;s roots because they seem unattractive, but that&#8217;s bad for the plant. Whether they&#8217;re <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2010\/02\/17\/up-a-tree-2\/\">air plants<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2010\/09\/11\/terrestrial-orchids\/\">terrestrials<\/a>, orchids need happy roots to survive and thrive. Some types have thick roots, while others have thin. All have central, wiry cores, surrounded by outer layers of absorbent cells called <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Velamen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">velamen<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_1_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31657 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_1_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Moth Orchid roots, air roots, Phalaenopsis, Phal, silvery-white roots with green growing tips\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_1_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_1_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_1_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_2_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31658 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_2_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Moth Orchid roots, air roots, Phalaenopsis, Phal, orchid roots attached to tree trunk and damaged orchid leaf, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Papaikou, Big Island, Hawaii\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_2_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_2_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_2_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_3_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31659 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_3_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Moth Orchid roots, air roots, Phalaenopsis, Phal, silvery-white roots with green growing tips, Pacific Orchid Expo 2009, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_3_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_3_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Phalaenopsis_roots_3_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This outer layer is white or greenish-white, with light green growing tips. Roots may also be brown from growing media or red from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/29\/let-the-sunshine-in\/\">sun exposure<\/a>. Healthy roots are firm, and essential to absorb <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/water.html\">water<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/fertilizer.html\">nutrients<\/a>. Mushy or hollow roots are dead and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/20\/cutting-off-orchid-roots\/\">should be removed<\/a>, a task which is often done during <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/potting.html\">repotting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vanda_roots_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31661 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vanda_roots_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Vanda orchids with flowers leaves and roots in black plastic baskets, Pacific Orchid Expo 2018, San Francisco, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vanda_roots_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vanda_roots_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vanda_roots_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vanda_roots_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Epidendrum_roots_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31653 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Epidendrum_roots_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Epidendrum orchid roots growing attached to lava rock, white and green roots, Akatsuka Orchids, Town of Volcano, Big Island, Hawaii\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Epidendrum_roots_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Epidendrum_roots_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Epidendrum_roots_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Epidendrum_roots_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_2_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31655 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_2_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"White orchid roots growing attached to wooden basket, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_2_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_2_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_2_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_2_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/identify\/orchids\/phalaenopsis.html\">Moth Orchids<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/identify\/orchids\/vanda.html\">Vandas<\/a> are popular varieties which like to have their roots in the open air. In the wild, they anchor to tree trunks and branches to live as air plants. Others don&#8217;t mind growing in small, crowded pots. To grow well, they all need <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/care\/details\/humidity.html\">good humidity and breezes to keep the air moving<\/a>. Some types have chlorophyll in their roots, which photosynthesize along with the leaves. Happy, healthy roots can give an orchid the energy for great blooms.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_1_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31650 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_1_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Cymbidium orchid roots, white roots, terrestrial orchid roots growing in soil, plant grown outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_1_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_1_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_1_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_2_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31651 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_2_800px-128x96.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of Cymbidium orchid roots, white roots, terrestrial orchid roots growing in soil, plant grown outdoors in Pacifica, California\" width=\"128\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_2_800px-128x96.jpg 128w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_2_800px-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_2_800px-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Cymbidium_roots_2_800px.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_1_800px.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31654 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_1_800px-96x128.jpg\" alt=\"Orchid roots growing attached to wooden mount, air roots, white roots, Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California\" width=\"96\" height=\"128\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_1_800px-96x128.jpg 96w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_1_800px-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Orchid_roots_1_800px.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 96px) 100vw, 96px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Healthy roots are essential for healthy orchids. Many people are tempted to cut off their orchid&#8217;s roots because they seem unattractive, but that&#8217;s bad for the plant. Whether they&#8217;re air plants or terrestrials, orchids need happy roots to survive and thrive. Some types have thick roots, while others have thin. All have central, wiry cores, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-growing","category-photos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30107"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32334,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30107\/revisions\/32334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.aboutorchids.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}