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| Bromeliad |
Green plants must have water, too. Most land plants get the water they need from the ground. Epiphytes cannot do so. They must get the water they need from rain or dew. Some of them have air roots that soak up water like blotting paper. Some take in water through their stems. Others take it in through their leaves. Some have stiff leaves that form rain barrels. The barrels hold the water till the leaves can soak it up.
In the jungles near the equator, trees grow so close together that it is hard for small plants to get any sunshine. Epiphytes are common there. Among them are orchids and other plants with gorgeous flowers. Stories of ancient times tell of wonderful hanging gardens built by one of the kings of Babylon. Epiphytes form natural hanging gardens in the jungles.
One of the common epiphytes in southern United States is long moss, or Spanish moss. It hangs down in festoons from tree branches. Sometimes, instead of growing on another plant, it trails down from telephone wires.
In regions that have cold winters or long periods of dry weather there are not many epiphytes. Those that do grow in such places are mostly small plants such as lichens.
Epiphytes do not take any water or food from the plants they grow on. They harm these plants only a little if at all. The only help epiphytes get from other plants is to be lifted up into the sunshine.
