Would this work?

[Plantfreak]

I’ve been thinking about this... So, in The Savage Garden, Peter D’Amato says that the so called “wick pots” don’t keep the soil wet enough for most CPs, just making it damp. Would this work for Cephalotus, as I’ve heard they need damp soil?

[Guy]

I've killed a few Cephalotus in the last few years.  They have all been in a tray with about 2-3cm of water.

This year I'm keeping one on damp capillary matting.  The compost at the top of the pot is moist, so it must be drawing water up.

This is the way Hampshire Carnivorous Plants manage to successfully keep Cephalotus, so I'm hopeful. 

Will it work?  Far too soon to tell.

Guy

[Lee Chamberlain]

I have killed my fair share of cephs..  no problems with other carnie plants.

[mobile]

I set up a little trial using perlite and Seramis as a media in a wicking system. Seems to be doing OK so far.

[jcz]

It is interesting that I see so frequently people having problems by keeping Cephalotus too wet. I have mine in the same pots as Sarracenia (literally, I do not have any independent pots for Cephalotus), outside year round (ca. -5ºC in winter, ca. 40ºC in summer), in full sun 5-7 h/day, and growing in permanently wet Sphagnum. They don't seem to mind, and they are definitely not close to die after being in these conditions for over five years.

Not that I recommend this setting, the plants stay relatively small, the pitchers are clearly smaller than those I had when I was using a terrarium, but I think it is also normal due to the light intensity. But I just wonder how adaptable they are.

[mobile]

@jcz, for nearly all of my Cephalotus I stand them in a tray of water, topping it up when it empties. I've done this for many years and the only problem I have occasionally had is in colder months when keeping them too wet can cause some black mildew issues. The one growing in perlite and Seramis is purely an experiment.