Floral Certification Practice Test

Cattleya Orchids exhibit epiphytic growth. This means that they typically grow on other plants or surfaces, but they are not parasitic. Instead, they obtain moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and debris that collects around them. Epiphytic orchids are adapted to tropical environments, where they can thrive in the canopy of trees, taking advantage of the light available there while staying above the ground.

This growth form distinguishes Cattleya Orchids from other types of growth such as clumping, trailing, or herbaceous growth. Clumping refers to a growth pattern where plants develop multiple stems from a single root base, which is not characteristic of Cattleya Orchids. Trailing growth suggests that a plant spreads out along the ground or hangs down, often found in ground covers or certain vines. Herbaceous growth pertains to plants that have soft, non-woody stems, which does not apply to the structure of Cattleya Orchids, which have a more substantial, typically pseudobulb-bearing structure. Therefore, the designation of epiphytic accurately describes the unique ecological strategy and form of growth seen in Cattleya Orchids.