How can I make my Cephalotus flourish?

[Tuuagso]

I have grown Cephalotus for a few years, and my plants are looking good and a lot of them are adult plants, they are big, but I want to ask to the ones who have flowering Cephalotus, How big is the pot where your plants are? How old are your plants? Do they need winter dormancy?

I live in Mexico so winter is not so cold (I think), my plants almost always produce pitchers rather than non-carnivorous leaves.

This one of my plants

What should I do to get flowers?

[loligo1964]

I have grown Cephalotus for a few years, and my plants are looking good and a lot of them are adult plants, they are big, but I want to ask to the ones who have flowering Cephalotus, How big is the pot where your plants are? How old are your plants? Do they need winter dormancy?

I live in Mexico so winter is not so cold (I think), my plants almost always produce pitchers rather than non-carnivorous leaves.

What should I do to get flowers?

Nice plants . . .

Most of my Cephalotus are in 15 cm pots -- some larger, some smaller. Flowering is not only a question of age and light exposure, but also of general health. Winter dormancy is unnecessary though some may disagree with that opinion. I have grown them successfully for years and the plants flower annually without any formal dormancy. Flowering maturity can take upwards of five years, though I have had seed-grown plants flower at three.

I would keep the plants moist at best and not over-water them, a common problem which leads to crown rot and susceptibility to pests.

Different strains vary in their production of the flat "vegetative" leaves; some produce a great many, while others few or none -- and produce pitchers all year long . . .

Cephalotus follicularis -- Spring 2009

Edited January 19, 2010 by loligo1964

[mobile]

I obtained the one below two years ago. At the time it had 3 or 4 adult pitchers so it would have probably been a two year old leaf cuttings, making the plant approximately 5 years old now. It doesn't get a formal dormancy but growth does slow down in the winter. It sits on my kitchen windowsill so in winter it gets shorter days and colder nights. Last summer/autumn it flowered, you can see the stem at the back. It's in a 15cm (6") diameter x 23cm (9") tall pot.

Edited January 19, 2010 by mobile

[Tuuagso]

Thank you very much! I think I'll take my Ceph to a bigger pot

[jimscott]

I was conversing with John Hummer about "Hummer's Giant'. He stated that they do best when given a dormancy period. Whether that applies also to the straight up Cephs is another question.

[mobile]

I don't think that Cephalotus would get a dormancy in their natural environment, as it doesn't get particularly cold: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tab...cw_009500.shtml

[Mags]

I don't think that Cephalotus would get a dormancy in their natural environment, as it doesn't get particularly cold: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tab...cw_009500.shtml

Their mean daily sun exposure (click on all available statistics) does vary and that would contribute to some form of dormancy perhaps?

Edited January 20, 2010 by Mags

[loligo1964]

I was conversing with John Hummer about "Hummer's Giant'. He stated that they do best when given a dormancy period. Whether that applies also to the straight up Cephs is another question.

I too have heard it mentioned that Cephalotus requires a dormancy; and since my plants are largely outside, they do experience a change in photoperiod over the course of the year -- but it is nothing remotely as extreme as what Sarracenia or Dionaea display.

There is simply a slowing of growth . . .

[RL7836]

I too have heard it mentioned that Cephalotus requires a dormancy; and since my plants are largely outside, they do experience a change in photoperiod over the course of the year -- but it is nothing remotely as extreme as what Sarracenia or Dionaea display.

There is simply a slowing of growth . . .

I suspect that the differences people are describing are between conditions similar to what you & Mobile lay out vs sitting in a terrarium year-round w/ no change in temps or photoperiod. Does anyone actually bag up a Ceph and stick it in the frig? Would it even survive?

Mine tend to bloom when experiencing a seasonal change in photoperiod & temps but not when sitting in a terrarium.

[mobile]

Does anyone actually bag up a Ceph and stick it in the frig? Would it even survive?

I've never tried it. I can see why people may want to do this with VFT and Sarracenia, as they have a cold winter in their natural habitat, but Cephalotus do not experience this in habitat.

[Tuuagso]

I've never tried it. I can see why people may want to do this with VFT and Sarracenia, as they have a cold winter in their natural habitat, but Cephalotus do not experience this in habitat.

I would not do that neither with my Ceph, I live in Mexico so winter is not really cold, but if I don't do it with my VFT of course I won't do it with my Ceph. I think changes in the photoperiod and temperature are enough to make the plant 'realize' whether it's summer or winter. As I said before, I will just use a bigger pot so roots can grow appropriately, I don't think any Cephalotus is able to flourish in a small pot.

[Tuuagso]

Hey I've got good news!

I guess my theory was right, few months ago I transplanted one of my biggest plants into a bigger pot and I treated it really well.

And now I've got this:

This is the same plant, but it has another stem on the other side

And this is another plant that is also blooming

Now I have 3 flower stalks and I'm so happy, I wish I'll have seeds as well

Edited April 1, 2010 by Tuuagso

[loligo1964]

Congratulations! Very nice plants, indeed.

A couple of mine look like they're beginning to produce flower stalks; though, in years past, they arrived in late Summer in California (around August) . . .

Edited April 1, 2010 by loligo1964