Are Orchids Terrirtorial?

[voyager]

I have seen several large show mounts with many small orchids of the same type mounted very close together.
They have seemed to be doing very well.
I am wanting to begin mounting some of my new yard orchids closer together than I have been doing.
I will be running into their root systems meeting each other.
Already, I have seen roots of similar types meet, then parallel each other while still touching.
They do not seem to want to cross over each other, though.
Vandas can sent roots out the entire length of a tree trunk, 25' or more.
I have been hesitating to mount any where their roots will easily meet those of their neighboring orchids.
Am I worrying about nothing, or are there considerations to be concerned about?

[bil]

Fascinating question. Root warfare? I do know that some plants are very aggressive competitors, and pine trees are evolved to make use of, and encourage, fire.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Plants compete for resources, but I would not consider them territorial (IMO that requires a conscious decision-making capability that plants lack) Some plants do secrete chemicals that prevent other plants from growing in their space and competing for light, water, etc. (example, some mosses, also black walnut trees).

I think what you are seeing is likely to be straightforward resource competition; maybe there is an inefficiency to having roots cross one another?

[Ray]

I agree pretty much with OW (Oh crap- the apocalypse again). There are phenolic glycosides within plant cells that can be oxidized into other, toxic, phenols, to ward off competitors, but that seems to happen more in the presence of fungi than anything else, and does not appear to be triggered by other orchids.

[Lilac]

I've had the experience with other non orchid plants that when planted together no matter how big the pot, one would always outgrow the other and eventually phase it out.

So having seen that, when I began collecting orchids I did not plant them together fearing the same would happen. Also I just get the feeling (projection? that they just don't like it, that they like their own space.

Maybe in the wild, it's different and they may be clumped together? Dunno, or just my personal peccadilloes I guess

[PaphMadMan]

When you see roots meet then run in parallel to each other it is probably a simple case of turning to avoid an obstacle (other root) when going over it would mean less secure contact with the mount. If there was phytotoxicity one root would die. If there was some active repel/avoid territoriality happening one would turn away, not stay parallel.

The only problems I would anticipate with mounting multiple orchids together would be:

If one was vigorous enough to out-compete its neighbors for resources or space. This should not be much of a problem if similar type and size plants are selected.

Even more difficulty separating an orchid from the mount in the future if necessary than if it were the only one.

[voyager]

Thanks folks for your thoughts on this.
What sparked the question is a number of new Nobile hybrids that I want to mount down at nose level.
Plus, a Den moscatum I placed in an elevated location.
It is now starting to grow an inflorescence. I won't be able to smell its fragrance or get a close look at its slipper shaped lip without using a ladder, not acceptable.
I want to remount it in a lower spot to make it more accessible.

My feeling has been that I was over thinking the potential problems.
Only one way to find out for sure, try it and see what happens.

The Nobile and the Ency. cordigera hybrids will get mounted today.
I'm not sure how I'll deal with the D. moscatum yet.
I need to go up and see just how well its roots have it fastened down so far.

[Fairorchids]

I have seen one study, where multiple plants of same species (non-orchids) were put in each pot. Where plants came from same seed pod, the plants were reportedly doing better, than those pots where seeds came from non-related seed pods.

From the orchid world, when I deflask seedlings, they always do better crammed together in a compot, than they do potted individually in 2.1/4" rose pots.

[voyager]

Yeah, that brings to mind that any large grouping of any orchid that is considered a single plant, is actually multiple separate plants. They, as a group, seem to be much more robust.
My original concern, although not stated as such, was with the mixing in close proximity of more diverse genera and species, Dendrobiums with Vandas and their kin; Cattleyas and their kin with Dendrobiums; Maxilarias and Epicyclias, Oncidiums and their kin, and so on.

Good point about compotes.
I get claustrophobic when I see how jammed together they look.
But, your right they do seem to enjoy being crowded together at that stage.

[kg5]

With non orchid plants I saw a US documentary some years ago where the Australian Melaleuca has taken over parts of the Everglades. The Melaleuca produce toxins to stop other species grow in competition with them and they are very good at stopping other plant species from growing. They have become a real problem. I wonder if the powers to be have found a way to control the Melaleuca in the Everglades?
Many Australian native plants do this.

But the real issue for me hear is when it comes to orchids is the transfer of diseases be it bacteria, virus or fungus through the root system to another plant. To me this complicates this whole issue and the result is not unlike the Melaleuca type threat. Especially in the US where you have so many of these sort of diseases issues occuring.

Very sadly I have seen beautiful, over 100 year old Jacaranda's planted along a path way, pass on root rot through their root systems. Going from one tree to the next. We tried all sorts of thing to stop it but the damage had been done years before we concluded. They were all remove and new trees were planted with a resistance to the root rot encountered.

The other issue we throw around is maybe the Jacaranda's had just lived out their life span. I am very sure this was the major issue. The weakness that triggered the rot. But who really knows?