mobile Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 I have two Cephalotus growing side-by-side, in exactly the same medium, repotted the same time, and in the same size pots. They have been growing together for a few years and have always been approximately the same size, though they are not the same clone. This year a fern, presumably a seed from the peat, has grown in the pot of one of the Cephalotus and that plant has grown significantly larger than the other. It could be down to a number of factors, but has anyone got any thoughts as to whether the companion plant could be causing this, maybe through increased competition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjgibbs Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 This is very interesting, I have two Cephalotus (a standard specimen and a 'big boy') on my windowsill next to each other - again same medium but the standard one has a large D. Capensis and lots of moss growing in it. The one with the companion plants flourishes and is putting out lots of new growth, the other (the big boy) continually struggles. I was begining to wonder if the companion plant was having a positive effect. My theory was that the additional plants offered protection to the growing point from the sun; the big boy is rather exposed and I continually loose the growing point for some reason. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Could the fern be fixing something in the compost in the same way that legumes (peas, beans) fix nitrogen? Have a look on Wikipedia for "Companion Planting", there's a bit about mosquito fern being used by the Chinese for a thousand years as a companion to rice for just this purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcal Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Very Interesting concept gentlemen. I seen a ceph with a local sea grass growing in the same pot. The overall look was just more appealing. I haven't found a grass that I like yet, but I have lots of sundews I could add to the pot. I wonder of somehow the competition for space has something to do with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Hewitt Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 It is possible that some companion plants encourage certain Associative Fungi in their nutrient assimilation, this could have a similar effect to Mycorrhizae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RL7836 Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 This topic has piqued my curiosity for a few years. Like many, I typically figured that additional plants were just competition. However, I read the page of a noted Nep grower who used straight peat to grow his plants - I always wondered how he could do this successfully. A friend visited his place & posted pics - almost all of his pots were infested by an invasive local grass. I'm thinking that the companion plants make the media more hospitable - possibly more aerated. A few months ago, I added some U. pubescens to a few Heli pots to play in that direction. I've also been starting to look for some sedge/rush/grass species that I could plant with Cephs that wouldn't totally overwhelm the pot & the Ceph. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted August 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 I've also been starting to look for some sedge/rush/grass species that I could plant with Cephs that wouldn't totally overwhelm the pot & the Ceph. Suggestions? Xyris would be a possibility too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapperhead51 Posted August 26, 2013 Report Share Posted August 26, 2013 (edited) I can tell you that cephs in the wild grow with certain plants most of the time, like particular shrubs , near particular tress, with native grass ext. and is how you find the cephs , so yes they do like to live with particular plants for what ever reason , being a symbolic relation ship or they just like the same habitat , as in a few locations some of these other plants,shrubs are absent , like coal mine beach and sand site !. . weather they like other plants that are not AU natives who knows , all ways worth a try I think . Edited August 26, 2013 by snapperhead51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus B Posted August 26, 2013 Report Share Posted August 26, 2013 From what I remember from Plant Science lectures, many plants grow together not only because the do best in similar conditions but because they share a relationship with particular fungi. One species may be the carrier of the fungus (it spreads with that plants seeds or in some other way) and the other plants then do best when that plant is present with the fungus. This occurs with some of our native ground orchids which makes some harder to grow in pots as they need to be at the base of certain trees to do well. From memory there have been a few attempts to see if this is a factor in Ceph's growth but nothing conclusive was determined. Try different plants and see what happens, if you have Cephs to spare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcal Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 I can tell you that cephs in the wild grow with certain plants most of the time, like particular shrubs , near particular tress, with native grass ext. and is how you find the cephs , so yes they do like to live with particular plants for what ever reason , being a symbolic relation ship or they just like the same habitat , as in a few locations some of these other plants,shrubs are absent , like coal mine beach and sand site !. . weather they like other plants that are not AU natives who knows , all ways worth a try I think . Can you share with us the particular plants that cephs grow beside in the wild? Mainly the grasses. Those will be the most realistic for us to duplicate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapperhead51 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Can you share with us the particular plants that cephs grow beside in the wild? Mainly the grasses. Those will be the most realistic for us to duplicate. the grasses in these photos of coal mine beach shots , dont know there names or where you can get them , there just native to the area http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=50360&hl= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom499 Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 I guess the fern will be taking up nutrients from the soil. Could you post a photo, be nice to ID it. Do you know the source of your medium (I'm guessing peat?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted August 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 I guess the fern will be taking up nutrients from the soil. Could you post a photo, be nice to ID it. Do you know the source of your medium (I'm guessing peat?). I think I potted this one in Moorland Gold. Here's a few hurried snaps: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapperhead51 Posted August 30, 2013 Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 you really need not worry about plants growing in with Cephs , as if you just feed the pitchers , they get all the nutrients they need, not just from the roots, , where they grow other than coal mine beach , there root systems are massively intertwined with the roots from grass and shrubs , and they grow fine , because they feed them self's, but I Do think they draw some nutrients up through the roots system as well , personally I think that growing grass and ferns with the cephs just detracts from the great looking growth habits .and eventually cut to much light out and you will get more leaf and less pitchers . as seen below 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 That's certainly a very happy looking ceph mobile! I love that coloration but mine always go dark, I've given them more shade this year but no change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted September 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 The plant seems happy growing alongside the fern, so I will leave it be until at least the next time I repot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James O'Neill Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 I can't comment on the rate of growth of a plant with no companion plant as I have no controls, but my plants with a little sedge plant in the pot beside is growing very fast indeed with pitchers just over 5cm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted September 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 Interesting setup you have there James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James O'Neill Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 Interesting setup you have there James. see: http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=50681#entry342525 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapperhead51 Posted September 1, 2013 Report Share Posted September 1, 2013 James very cool idea , lover the pot variation set up , thanks for sharing , think its one of the best I have seen for thinking of new ideas john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcal Posted September 2, 2013 Report Share Posted September 2, 2013 Nice setup James. Well done! I was skimming through savage garden. The author lists a dozen or so grasses that grow well with cps. Page 54 of the revised version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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