Ever buy an orchid just for its foliage?

[orchidgirl]

I like the foliage just as much as the flower, afterall without foliage ther would really be no flower

[smwboxer]

I like the foliage just as much as the flower, afterall without foliage ther would really be no flower

Unless it's a ghost orchid

[stefpix]

some vanillas have no foliage too... but actually I like the hanging roots of Vandas... they look like some sort of fancy Tillandsias!

[Lizgeo]

I voted for the first option. I guess I grow orchids for flowers, foliage is nice to have, but only if it has flowers too.

[tdwin1453]

Unless it's a ghost orchid

Ok, I chuckled at this post, because I like it when I can say "I didn't think of that...." Also I laughed, because I voted an emphatic "Yes" to the poll's question about orchid foliage and stated reasons as well as examples when orchid foliage is clearly beautiful--possessing an aesthetic in and of itself!

Then, I thought some more about this particular post out of curiosity over Dendrophylax lindenii, the "Ghost Orchid," orchid foliage, and the function of foliage. I am not too familiar with Dendrophylax lindenii admittedly. . . . That said, it is my recollection that the roots of the "Ghost Orchid" contain the necessary chlorophyll for the orchid to photosynthesize. So I am wondering: If we then, think to ourselves about the purpose of foliage, which is essentially to convert the energy from the sun for the plant's use; Is there not a sense in which the roots of Dendrophylax lindenii function much like leaves? The presence of chlorophyll as sufficient to the plant's need for photosynthesis seems to suggest that they do to me, at least.

Clearly the roots of the "Ghost Orchid" serve as roots; in that, they (1) anchor the plant to the tree as well as (2) absorb and provide moisture and nutrients to the plant. But, can it be the case that for this so-called "leafless" orchid, the roots qua leaves--"as providing photosynthesize for the plant"--are in fact, at least, in one sense, orchid foliage?

Perhaps, my questions have stretched the case too far in thought! Maybe there are morphological qualities that leaves have that roots never do, or vice versa . . . ? I am not sure really. I am not trained in biology. Yet, seemingly, morphological characteristics are not alone the exclusivity of what defines a plant's organ, albeit leaf or root. Function has a lot to do with it, too, I should think.

Dendrophylax lindenii has a certain aesthetic to it as "leafless," as evident by the photo below of the orchid out of bloom. It retains our fascination clearly. Nevertheless, if we admit that in some cases that roots behave like leaves, as in the Ghost Orchid, does not these "roots" of Dendrophylax lindenii share in appeal an aesthetic? I could thus see the case where some people might think so. . . .

By the way, Dendrophylax lindenii's flower is not bad either. (See image below.) Aren't orchids amazingly complex in nature? (lol)

In any case, I enjoyed thinking about the above as prompted by the quoted post. It made me think, in other words . . .

Tim

[Brutal_Dreamer]

haha.... Tim, I enjoy your posts very much.

Cheers,
BD

[Ron-NY]

didn't read through to see what guesses have been done...It reminds me of my Dend leonis

I realize blooms are generally the name of the game. However, occasionally I find myself looking at a plant not for its blooms but rather because the foliage or growth habit is just so (in my opinion) attractive, unusual, or just plain cool -- and I'm not talking the jewel orchids here. It's what led me to trade for a Dockrilla cucumerina. And it caused me to buy this one:

Attachment 22932

(I left off the name purposely. Figured might as well give Ron, Tom, and some of the other members a chance to show off their orchid identification skills. )


So how about it? Any other oddballs out there?

[bench72]

haha.... Tim, I enjoy your posts very much.

Cheers,
BD

hahaha, ditto to that!... very clever... and very mind boggling...

[stefpix]

KInd of looks like a beheaded Phalaenopsis after all!
Vanda roots are similar in shape and function...

[Ron-NY]

who could pass up a glaucous leaf like this with cute white flowers
And D. anceps has very cool foliage

I also added D manii for the foliage.