Epiphytes and Economics

Friday, September 25, 2026

sowing orchid seeds on trees

just posted in junglegroves facebook group...

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what are the chances that a residential tree in central florida harbors the fungus that orchid seeds need to germinate? because this fungus is microscopic, you can't see it with the naked eye. but if an orchid seed actually germinated on the bark, that would effectively prove the fungus is present.

“the proof is in the pudding” is how i learned, back in 2011, that this fungus was living on my tree in los angeles, california. i sowed orchid seeds on my tree and quite a few germinated. every single one did so within ½” of the roots of orchids already established on the tree.

so the fungus is definitely present! however, under those hot and dry conditions, the fungus couldn't venture very far from its home in the moist orchid roots. in theory, it's a very different story in humid and rainy central florida.

here’s my latest method for sowing orchid seeds on trees:

thicken the water: take a 300ml bottle of water and pour out a bit. add about 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum powder, strongly shake for one minute, and let it sit for 15 minutes until it turns into a smooth gel.
wet the tree bark: while waiting for the water to thicken, spray your trees thoroughly with a hose, because dry bark will cause the seed gel to slide right off.
mix in the seeds: add your orchid seeds to the bottle and shake thoroughly so they are evenly distributed.
use a smaller tube: pour the seed mixture into a small coin tube or a similar container. draw the seed gel from this tube with a 3ml pipette while you work—that way, if you accidentally drop it, you only lose 10,000 seeds instead of a million.
sow the seeds: use the pipette to place the seed gel directly on or near existing orchid roots. if your trees don't have orchids yet, target damp patches of moss, ferns, or lichen where the necessary fungus is most likely to be.

i recently tried using this xanthan gum technique for the first time. there’s an ideal ratio of xanthan powder to water, but i have no idea what it is. the ratio that i used did make applying the seeds to trees significantly easier than using plain water. as for its impact on the fungus, ai suggests it should have a positive effect and help encourage seed germination.

if you live in central florida and want to join a fun, family-friendly science experiment to see how widespread this beneficial fungus really is, i’d love to mail you a starter kit!

for just the cost of shipping ($7), you’ll get:

roughly 1 million orchid seeds
a packet of xanthan gum powder
a 3ml pipette

if no seeds germinate, it gives us some evidence that the fungus isn’t present. but if they do germinate, it proves the fungus is there—and you’ll get the joy of watching those orchid seedlings grow and bloom right on your trees!

more pics...