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One word could make any South Florida garden the envy of people in northern latitudes: epiphytes.

Also known as air plants, epiphytes grow on other plants. They are not parasitic and do not hurt the host plant. Mostly native to rain forests, they add an aura of tropical beauty that sets South Florida apart from almost everywhere else in the United States. Many of them bear wonderfully colorful flowers or have colorful leaves. Best of all, they can transform a single tree into a layered garden exploding with color.

And few other plants are better for our current drought and water restrictions.

Once an epiphyte is established, it's unlikely to need additional water. These plants were designed to grow in tree canopies, so they have evolved ways to protect themselves from short-term droughts. Some plants, such as bromeliads and "trash basket" ferns, form cups that catch water and leaf litter. Orchids have developed thick roots and bulging canes that rapidly absorb and store water. At most, expect to water most of these plants once a week during the dry season.

However, some epiphytic plants -- the true rain forest species -- may require additional water. These include many of the epiphytic ferns, such as bird's nest ferns, or some of the most dramatic anthuriums.

Establishing epiphytes in your existing landscape is as easy as tying your shoes.

"The key to using epiphytes is proper plant selection, and not only proper plant selection, but finding the right proper tree to put it on," says Jennifer Davit, conservatory manager at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables. Davit manages greenhouses full of luxurious upper-canopy epiphtyes. The most popular epiphytes in South Florida include the most well-known species of orchids, bromeliads and exotic ferns. In addition, aroids -- which include philodendrons and beautiful anthuriums -- can grow as epiphytes.

When you pick a home for these plants, look for trees with spongy but stable bark. Oak and fruit trees are excellent mounts, while gumbo limbo and ficus are not because they shed bark. Palm trees can also provide a wonderful habitat for orchids, especially vanda and phalaenopsis.

"What's nice about large trees with a good canopy is you can put orchids that like different amounts of light in different places on the tree," Davit says. "And you can put shade-loving plants nearer the trunk."

In this way, a single large tree can support at least a dozen species of epiphytes.

"I keep orchids in the house until they're tired, then I move them into a tree," says Jesse Durko, owner of Jesse Durko's Nursery in Davie and a serious plant collector.

To establish an epiphyte in a tree, tie the plant to the tree with old pantyhose or landscaping tape. Avoid using wire or rope. Landscape tape and pantyhose expand as the tree grows, but rope and wire won't. Once the epiphyte is established, it will probably overgrow whatever was used to tie it to the tree. An unforgiving material might girdle the growing branch and kill it.

"When you tie the plant in the tree, it cannot wiggle," says Durko. "If it wiggles, when the wind comes, the plant won't root."

It's also important to trim any dead roots off the plant (this is especially true for orchids). Don't put anything, such as sphagnum moss, between the plant and the bark because the plant may root into the moss instead of grabbing the bark. When the moss inevitably rots, the plant will fall off.

The best time to establish epiphytes in trees is now, at the onset of the rainy season. During the growth season, the plant will send out new roots and hopefully attach to the host tree.

If additional irrigation is needed, the best solution -- the one used by gardeners at Fairchild's rain forest exhibit -- is to run an irrigation line up the tree and install overhead sprinklers. Durko used this solution for one residential garden he designed, where he used overhead irrigation to create rain for the homeowner's collection of staghorn and exotic ferns.

Once installed, these sprinklers can be put on the same schedule as yard sprinklers. In general, epiphytes are better suited to handle drought conditions than grass, so they should not be harmed by water restrictions.

Feeding epiphytes depends on the species. In general, orchids should be fed once a week with a weak liquid fertilizer during the summer to encourage the best bloom. Use a product such as Peters or Norman's.

Bromeliads require less food. If anything, Durko recommends dropping a single pellet of a slow-release fertilizer, such as Dynamite or Osmocote, in the central cup at the beginning of the growth season.

Ferns also benefit from weak liquid fertilizer, but will often thrive with no extra nutrients.

"A lot of plants do better in trees, even downed trees, than pots," says Davit. "There's at least one species in every group that's easy. Talk to growers and they can help."

Jon VanZile is an avid gardener and freelance writer. He lives in Pompano Beach.

THE TRIED AND TRUE

A few of the best epiphytes for our environment:

Orchids: The majority of orchids grown in South Florida are epiphytic. Dendrobiums, cattleyas and vandas will do well in higher sun situations, while phalaenopsis require less light. Mount them in oak, fruit and palm trees.

Bromeliads: There are hundreds of kinds of bromeliads. Hybrids, such as the fireball bromeliad, seem to do especially well in trees, although almost all bromeliad varieties will thrive in trees.

Ferns: Native epiphytic ferns, such as the resurrection fern and Boston fern, often appear naturally in the trunks of our palm trees. Staghorn ferns can also be established in trees and will sometimes grow to massive proportions. More difficult ferns, such as bird's nest ferns, may require additional water.

Aroids: This huge family of plants includes philodendrons, pothos vines, anthuriums and monstera. These plants can grow as vines or as epiphytes, depending on the plant and situation.

- JON VANZILE

"The key to using epiphytes is proper plant selection, and not only proper plant selection, but finding the right proper tree to put it on," says Jennifer Davit, conservatory manager at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables. Davit manages greenhouses full of luxurious upper-canopy epiphtyes. The most popular epiphytes in South Florida include the most well-known species of orchids, bromeliads and exotic ferns. In addition, aroids -- which include philodendrons and beautiful anthuriums -- can grow as epiphytes.