An epiphyte is any plant that lives on another plant rather than in the soil. A wide variety of unrelated flora has adapted to an epiphytic lifestyle, including ferns, cacti, and orchids. Epiphytes are common in warmer parts of the world, such as Florida and Central America, but they are relatively rare in cooler climates. However, horticulturalists at the University of Connecticut have created an artificial “epiphyte tree” in their greenhouses so that people can study these unique plants in a northern climate. The tree, made of wire and cork…
