Guest Carnivorous Newbie Posted August 1, 2009 Report Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) I've been reading up on these plants before mine even arrived and have received great advice from people on other forums, but I still have some questions. It was carefully packaged with wet sphagnum moss packed over it when I received it. I have been putting several drops of rain water in the pitcher's daily. Do I need to stop doing this? Also, I have been watering it every day around the pot's perimeter with fresh rainwater. Do I need to water more/less? It's currently in a Charles Brewer Mix. Also, does it mind an occasional spritzing? Sorry for my ignorance. I'm just getting started and want to help this wonderful plant thrive. Any input is greatly appreciated! Thanks! Here are some pictures: Edited August 1, 2009 by Carnivorous Newbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted August 1, 2009 Report Share Posted August 1, 2009 is seems healthy! Cephalotus tend not to like being too wet, many people do not stand in water but keep just damp. Personally I stand in water, all year, but in LARGE, DEEP pots and mine get full sun. The bigger the pot and the hotter and sunnier you keep it then the wetter you can keep it too! Do not keep too humid, do not spray, you will encourage fungus. Do not fill the pitchers. Full sun, good air movement is what it wants. However if it has been grown differently to this I would be careful changing conditions, do it gradually. what is a Charles Brewer mix? Looks Sphagnum based. If it seems happy keep the composta as is, it could do with repotting sometime though, the pot is getting small. I use a 2:2 "peat":perlite mix for my plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carnivorous Newbie Posted August 1, 2009 Report Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) is seems healthy!Cephalotus tend not to like being too wet, many people do not stand in water but keep just damp. Personally I stand in water, all year, but in LARGE, DEEP pots and mine get full sun. The bigger the pot and the hotter and sunnier you keep it then the wetter you can keep it too! Do not keep too humid, do not spray, you will encourage fungus. Do not fill the pitchers. Full sun, good air movement is what it wants. However if it has been grown differently to this I would be careful changing conditions, do it gradually. what is a Charles Brewer mix? Looks Sphagnum based. If it seems happy keep the composta as is, it could do with repotting sometime though, the pot is getting small. I use a 2:2 "peat":perlite mix for my plants. Thanks for your reply, Stephen! The gentleman I purchased it from told me that it was terrarium grown in his basement. I've currently been keeping it with some of my orchids. It sits aprrox three feet under a four foot T8 (4 bulbs), and a four foot x2 T12 fluorescent fixture. Daytime tepms average 82F while night time average 72-75F. Humdity varies from 60% to 80%. I currently have it sitting on rocks in an 8" saucer with rainwater not quite touching the bottom of the pot for humidity. I should probably remove the tray? The Charles Brewer Mix is a very open mixture comprising by volume: 45% dried spagnum moss (although I believe he used living moss. I'm not sure.) 45% medium perlite 8% peat/sand mixture 2% wood charcoal More sand/peat can be added and doesn't cause problems. I'll stop spritzing it and putting water in the pitcher's. Is my watering schedule and current environment sufficient? Thanks again for all your help. I greatly appreciate it! -Michael Edited August 1, 2009 by Carnivorous Newbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carnivorous Newbie Posted August 1, 2009 Report Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) is seems healthy!Cephalotus tend not to like being too wet, many people do not stand in water but keep just damp. Personally I stand in water, all year, but in LARGE, DEEP pots and mine get full sun. The bigger the pot and the hotter and sunnier you keep it then the wetter you can keep it too! Do not keep too humid, do not spray, you will encourage fungus. Do not fill the pitchers. Full sun, good air movement is what it wants. However if it has been grown differently to this I would be careful changing conditions, do it gradually. what is a Charles Brewer mix? Looks Sphagnum based. If it seems happy keep the composta as is, it could do with repotting sometime though, the pot is getting small. I use a 2:2 "peat":perlite mix for my plants. The seller did say that it would need repotted. But I was told on another forum that I should wait for a while and let it settle. It has a small root growing out of the bottom of the pot. He also told me that Cephs seem to really love deep pots. His biggest Hummer's Giant is in a 12 inch deep by 6 inch diameter pot. The Charles Brewer style soil mix this plant is in has a very light and crumbly mix, and would have to be very careful transplanting it. He said that if I try to just tip it out of the pot, it may fall away everywhere. He recommended doing something like filling the new pot up a bit, and pack the soil around the pot it's in, and then cut away the current pot. Maybe very very carefully cut the bottom first so I could get it out easily. Any repotting tips? I want to be certain of how to do this properly. :) Again, your help is greatly appreciated!!! Edited August 1, 2009 by Carnivorous Newbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petesredtraps Posted August 1, 2009 Report Share Posted August 1, 2009 Find this topic I made a couple of years ago "Re-potting a Cephalotus. My method" you don't have to use a Dremmel a sharp knife will do,please be careful. You're plant looks great, and the photos are very good.Congratulations on aquiring this lovely plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carnivorous Newbie Posted August 2, 2009 Report Share Posted August 2, 2009 Find this topic I made a couple of years ago "Re-potting a Cephalotus. My method" you don't have to use a Dremmel a sharp knife will do,please be careful.You're plant looks great, and the photos are very good.Congratulations on aquiring this lovely plant. Thank you very much for the information and your kind comments! :) They are greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petesredtraps Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Thank you very much for the information and your kind comments! :) They are greatly appreciated! My pleasure-let's have some more pictures when you repot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwharold Posted October 29, 2015 Report Share Posted October 29, 2015 I am considering the purchase of the Cephalotus Follicularis Hummer's Giant which comes potted in a 4 inch pot. I intend to place it indoors on a bright sunny window sill under a 6500 Kelvin plant grow light along with my 3 other CPs. I have several questions: 1) How large will this plant get? 2) I will place it in a saucer with distilled water. Should I let it dry out between watering's or always keep the saucer with water? 3) Any other tips and advice that will help me to grow a healthy bright red plant? Â Thank you in advance for your advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 Some growers have got plants about 12 inches/ 30cm across. The norm would be half that though for a decent mature plant. They are usually fairly slow growing though. Most growers water from below, allowing the saucer to dry out before re watering. As for a " bright red" plant?, colours vary widely and I've never used artificial lighting. The general rule is a plant kept in the shade will produce larger greener pitchers, a plant receiving a lot of light will produce smaller darker coloured pitchers. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 I do question your intention to get a Hummer's Giant. If you want a bright red plant why not just go for a standard seed grown plant? Hummer's Giant gets its reputation from being grown in shade and having large insipid all green pitchers. Grow it in  light that will turn the pitchers red / ish and they will only be average size thereby making the choice of the clone pointless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus B Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 General rule aside, I have had "Giant" producing large pitchers in full light that have turned a lovely dark colour during autumn (cold nights, warm days) and seen a plant, that I had sold, do even better in a controlled set up, so it is possible to get large (approximately 60 mm, excluding lid height, so base to rim top) dark coloured pitchers. It is just not easy to do and I have not found them to be consistently large (just a bit bigger than normal) in full light.  So the general rule does have exceptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) So you recommend a newbie to spend extra money on a Hummer's to get bright red pitchers? Edited November 18, 2015 by FredG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwharold Posted November 18, 2015 Report Share Posted November 18, 2015 So you recommend a newbie to spend extra money on a Hummer's to get bright red pitchers? So now I am very confused. I just wanted a nice unusual CP to add to my 3 plant CP collection for bright windowsill growing under a 6500 Kelvin plant grow light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus B Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 So now I am very confused. I just wanted a nice unusual CP to add to my 3 plant CP collection for bright windowsill growing under a 6500 Kelvin plant grow light.  Then, as Fred says, you are better off just getting a typical Ceph and seeing how you go growing that first before trying to grow a fussier plant, especially if you want it to colour up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwharold Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Then, as Fred says, you are better off just getting a typical Ceph and seeing how you go growing that first before trying to grow a fussier plant, especially if you want it to colour up. Do you have a particular suggestion that has good characteristics and a nice colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Do you have a particular suggestion that has good characteristics and a nice colour?Hi I find even a bog standard typical will colour up nicely given enough light.James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimitar Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015  a typical Ceph   standard typical   Hello guys,  what is typical Cephalotus or standard typical Cephalotus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjw Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Hello guys, what is typical Cephalotus or standard typical Cephalotus? It's simple.."CHEAP cephalotus" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimitar Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 It's simple.."CHEAP cephalotus" Â How I haven't thought about it until now tsk tsk tsk... Â Should I get the idea that the "EXPENSIVE cephalotus"Â aren't typical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjw Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 How I haven't thought about it until now tsk tsk tsk... Â Should I get the idea that the "EXPENSIVE cephalotus"Â aren't typical? Â I think FredG's concept is that. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimitar Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 LOL, ok then we can ask him - Fred, is that your concept regarding "typical" Cephalotus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 They're all Cephalotus follicularis, it's just that some have names attached and the label hunters boost the price. Is there such a thing as a typical Cephalotus? They all have different colouration and pitcher size depending on growing media and conditions. All that makes a 'standard' or 'typical' one is the lack of a name or location ( i.e. something different on the label). People should obtain a seed grown plant or even seed ( gasp! the thought of it) and then put something different on the label, it's much cheaper that way and it would also increase the gene pool.  Here's a new one to ponder, it's not the plant that's expensive, it's the label. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimitar Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Â They all have different colouration and pitcher size depending on growing media and conditions. Â That's right and to me this makes all registered so far Cephalotus cultivars pointless... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 That's right and to me this makes all registered so far Cephalotus cultivars pointless... Under the present system I couldn't possibly disagree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwharold Posted November 19, 2015 Report Share Posted November 19, 2015 Thank to all for the discussion, but I can't just go to a supplier and ask for a "typical" Cephalotus. Can someone give me an exact name so that I can look it up and see an actual picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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