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The orchid show at the botanical garden last weekend had something weird
I went to the annual orchid show at the Chicago Botanic Garden last Saturday. There were hundreds of blooms on display but one section caught my eye. A vendor had a table full of orchids with leaves that looked almost fuzzy, like tiny hairs all over them. I asked one of the gardeners about it and she said those were a rare mutation called pubescent leaves. She said it helps the plant trap moisture in dry climates. I had never seen anything like it in my 5 years of visiting shows. Has anyone else run into orchids with fuzzy leaves before?
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mila_harris15d ago
Could those fuzzy leaves actually be a defense against certain pests rather than just for moisture?
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jessica_robinson2315d ago
Always wondered the same thing myself.
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morgan_bailey9315d ago
What if those fuzzy leaves actually help the plant absorb water from fog or morning dew? I mean, some plants in really dry areas have this trick where the fuzz traps moisture from the air and then the leaf absorbs it slowly. Combine that with pest defense and you get a multitasker. Never see anyone bring up the fog thing when talking about fuzzy leaves, but it makes sense for places that get heavy mist but not much rain. Might even be more important than the pest angle depending on where it grows.
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