Why do some plants grow on trees?

Trees generally grow on dry land; many are aquatic as they are found in water too. If you think you have covered all plants, you are wrong! Plants grow on trees too!

Most of such plants are found on top of tall trees in tropical forests. The reason, however, is quite simple. Tropical rain forests are thickly populated by trees. Huge trees stay close to each other without leaving much space between them. The foliage of these huge trees blocks the sunlight and little plants on the ground do not get the rays of the sun. This makes their life difficult, as plants need sunlight for photosynthesis.

Nature has designed some plants such as orchids and Spanish moss to grow on tall trees because they can take advantage of the height of the tall trees and get sunlight. Another advantage of plants growing on trees is that their seeds, most of them very light, could be easily scattered by the wind. Now, the seeds fall mostly on nearby trees and the new plants take roots in these trees. They hang onto the trees of the rest of their life and find enough sunlight, water and food to sustain them there.

 

Picture Credit : Google