From: plantnut at shadow.net (Dewey Fisk) on 1997.11.17 at 14:56:37(1622)
>Dewey,
>I have to disagree with you on this one. As a grower of many epiphytes
>before I even got to the aroid group I am familiar with aerial roots. The
>last thing I'd do is cram them into a pot. I'd leave them be and use them to
>help establish the plant by misting them regularly. There is a school of
>thought that aerial roots are physiologically different than roots that go
>into substrate and, at least anecdotal evidence that if aerial roots are
>buried, they'll simply rot.
>
>Besides, I kind of like them dangling out in space!
Carlo,
There may be a physiological difference in roots. However, once the aerial
root reaches any material that it can grow into and extract nutrients, it
wlll do so. I have plenty of aerial roots in the shade house. When they
reach the ground or when I take them and turn them into a pot they
immediately spread out and become nutrient gathers. Aerial roots are just
searching for nutrients and when they find them.... Sure, aerial roots
have a different epidermal layer than ones that are in potting media but
that is only because they are in air and not in media. But, when they find
some type of media... they change.
Quite frankly, I like them hanging out also...
Dewey
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