Thinking About Picking Up a Ceph

[Netjer]

So I'm considering picking up a cephalotus in a couple of weeks and have a couple of questions:

1) My plant will be growing indoors on a south/south-west facing windowsill and in winter the temperatures can be around 8-10 degrees whilst I'm at work or asleep. I know cephs can handle temperatures lower than this and do appreciate a winter rest but is this potentially too cold for too long? 

2) With nepenthes I've often seen it suggested that younger plants acclimatise to a new environment better than mature plants. Is this the case at all with cephs or am I better getting a more mature plant?

Also, if anyone wants to share their watering experiences and tips I would definitely appreciate the input!

Thanks for reading.

Edited June 17, 2018 by Netjer

[Yunzi]

My huge ceph has been growing fine on a S facing window for several years now.  Some of its offspring spent a winter in my highland tank with nighttime temps down to 8 degrees C with no ill affects at all.

For watering, I water from the bottom, allow to dry then add more.  In the past I've had them wetter and as long as some airflow is present they seem fine with that too.

[Richard Bunn]

I concur with what @Yunzi said.  It won't be too cold at all. I've had them in an unheated greenhouse and I've even had one outside for a year from 2011 to 2012 here in Ireland.  While it was slower growing even than normal, it did fine.  My only housebound Ceph these days has been in the kitchen window for 3 years and does well. This window contains all my Neps as it doesn't get as much sun.  The traps are green rather than red but the plant is well.  When it comes to watering, I have it in a drip tray that I fill with water and I then let it dry out for a few days and quite often think 'I'd better throw some water at the Ceph before it wilts'.  If it was in full sun with summer heat then I'd be very careful about how dry it can get rather quickly.  I may have killed my small Eden Black in the greenhouse due to leaving it in my Drosophyllum and Roridula tray as it's tiny pot dried right out.  I'm nurturing it in hope it will come back from the root.  A loooong time will tell.  I've not seen any difference between getting a young plant or an large one when it comes to acclimatisation of Cephalotus.  

Regards

[Netjer]

I picked up my ceph today and I'm already a bit in love with it! Below is my set up for it - I'm planning on filling the outer tub with water and then letting it dry out before I refill. My question is how far up the side of the pot would you fill with water?

Edited July 1, 2018 by Netjer

[Argo88]

Hi!

beautiful plant, well done!!

it seems to me that have a flower stalk... if yes, cut it at about 1 cm to the soil... You can plant it in sphagnum moss and, if You have luck, you can obtain a flower stalk pulling;-)

maybe I haven’t understand Your question... I put about 2 or 3 cm level of water... than You can let it dry...

[Netjer]

53 minutes ago, Argo88 said:

Hi!

beautiful plant, well done!!

it seems to me that have a flower stalk... if yes, cut it at about 1 cm to the soil... You can plant it in sphagnum moss and, if You have luck, you can obtain a flower stalk pulling;-)

maybe I haven’t understand Your question... I put about 2 or 3 cm level of water... than You can let it dry...

You've answered my question perfectly - thanks, Argo88!

And I had wondered if that was a flower stalk coming up - I've not seen new growth on a ceph first hand so wasn't sure if it was a flower stalk or just the start of a new pitcher.

EDIT: Picture from the top, for fun!

Edited July 1, 2018 by Netjer

[Argo88]

I can’t see very well... it can be a new pitcher too, but it seems me higher... could You make a better photo of the upper part of this “stalk”? Thanks;-)

[Stu]

It looks like a flower stalk shape but looks browned off in that pic, as though it has been aborted. As Argo says, a closer pic would help.

As for water, I'd fill it right up and not worry too much about it having to all disappear before topping up. That's a high enough pot and they like water much more than they like dryness. 

[Netjer]

Thanks both for the replies! Below is a picture of the stalk; it's quite hairy like the stalks the pitchers grow on - is this normal for a flower stalk or is that indicative of it being a pitcher?

Also, if it is a flower stalk, any tips on propagating from it? 

 

[Argo88]

23 hours ago, Netjer said:

Thanks both for the replies! Below is a picture of the stalk; it's quite hairy like the stalks the pitchers grow on - is this normal for a flower stalk or is that indicative of it being a pitcher?

Also, if it is a flower stalk, any tips on propagating from it? 

 

It seems me a flower stalk, maybe aborted as Stu says... when it is about 5/6 cm tall, cut the stalk at about 1 cm from the soil (so there are a less danger of the cut rot and it propagate to all plant)... than put it vertical in pure live sphagnum or your usual soil, with about 1 or 2 cm under the soil... if You are very lucky it could continuate growing and also blooming... you need some months before You can see a new plantlet... never touch the flower stalk or its pot until the plantlet becomes quite big;-)

p.s: sorry for my very bad English, I hope You can understand my words;-)

[Netjer]

Thanks Argo88, that's really helpful!  Any advice on soil moisture, humidity etc whilst trying to propagate a new ceph?

[carambola]

Honestly seeing as you've only got it for a mere two days, I'd first just wait and see if the plant does well under your conditions before going about trying to propagate it. It's nice to get new plants, but if it turns out Cephalotus (or at least this particular clone) doesn't like your house, you'll have two plants growing poorly instead of just one.

[Netjer]

Is there any harm in leaving the flower on there? I've read a couple of things about it severely draining the plant (as people often mention with VFTs), but haven't seen much about it.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Netjer

[carambola]

Flowering takes a lot of energy from a plant. If it's healthy, this is no problem, and if anyone claims otherwise, they don't know what they're talking about. If the plant is unhealthy, on the other hand, it will flower hoping to set seed before it dies, as a last-ditch effort to procreate. In that case (in fact, in most cases), there's no point to snipping off flower stalks, because it will just try to flower again.