The mycorrhiza and the long germination time of the orchid seeds makes it difficult to grow these plants in culture. Vegetative methods like dividing the rhizoms or growing orchids directly from the living tissue in the so-called meristem culture are possible. But these are only clones without any genetic variety.

Advanced methods are the symbiotic culture where the mycorrhiza fungus is cultivated on a sterile medium and the far more widespread asymbiotic culture where the seeds are directly sown onto an artificial nutritive soil in a sterile environment. The nutritive substances in the bottles or glasses simulate the mycorrhiza.

The greatest problem is to keep the cultures free of other fungi, the next pages give some hints for people without sterile workspaces.