uncle_vito wrote:
I have a Phal that is growing air roots like crazy. What does this mean?
Some of the air roots make the media. Here they burrow in. For these, the
part of the root above media dries out but the part in the ground stays
green and grows deeper. I have a clear plastic pot and can see the air
roots continuing to grow in the media. The plant also has regular roots,
but these seem to not be increasing, the air roots are.

I mist the air roots occasonally. Could the plant be reverting to air roots
for nourishment at the expense of its media roots?

Phal plant is very healthy. Lots of new leaves and air roots. A flower
spike is already well on its way.

Thanks for any answers

Vito


Vito,
First of all "roots is roots". Your air roots are just regular roots
that happen to be in the air.
Phalaenopsis just grow upward. New leaves form at the top, old leaves
die at the bottom and the new roots emerge just above or just below the
bottom leaves.
If you leave your plant in the same pot for years and you don't repot it
so that it is lower down into the pot, you would eventually have the
entire plant, including roots, hovering above the pot on an old trunk.
Sure, the old roots in the pot will sometimes start growing again and
they can branch, they eventually die off leaving the newer roots higher
up to carry on.
One more thing. When you repot your plant lower into the pot, the roots
that developed in the air will not be acclimated to live in the pot.
They don't die instantly, or anything but they do have a short life once
moved into the medium. Repot when there are new roots just starting to grow.

Steve in the Adirondacks