An epiphyte growing system includes a plant container, a pre-shaped substrate plug and an epiphyte plant. The plant container and the pre-shaped substrate plug together define one or more groove-shaped spaces between a circumferential wall of the plant container and an outer wall of the pre-shaped substrate plug. Those one or more spaces are void of substrate material, and spiral downward along the circumferential and outer wall for one or more air roots of the epiphyte plant to grow there along.