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Post by tupinambiswot on Dec 19, 2013 19:12:51 GMT
Hello everyone! I have a few questions for you all about a potential, future Heliamphora setup.
Allow me to first make a disclaimer that I have very little experience with CP's beyond the commonplace Sarracenia varieties. If I write something stupid that makes no sense, please correct me.
It is my understanding that Heliamphora plants have a strange way of "dying slowly", so that if something is horribly wrong with my setup, it may be quite a long time before any ill-effects are noticed. And by then, it will be too late. With that said:
1. What would be a good "training" plant with similar requirements as the likes of H. minor? Maybe a highland Nepenthes? 2. If/when the "training" plant goes well, where would be a good place to actually start with Heliamphora? I've heard that H. minor x heterodoxa is a good place to start....? 3. If/when a good Heliamphora habitat is established, what would be some good companion plants to keep with them? Particular species of Sundew, Nepenthes, Bromeliads, unusual non-carnivores, etc?
Oh, and 4. Is there any particular brand/model of lights that you would recommend over others for Heliamphora?
I'd love to eventually get my hands on some of the spectacular H. pulchella forms or H. sarracenioides, but those are currently way out of my league, and I don't want to risk getting those only to find that I'm completely incapable of handling them.
Thank you all for the help!
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Post by tanukimo on Dec 20, 2013 3:54:28 GMT
I don't have any experience with Heliamphora but it grows in the wild with Brocchinia, so that would be a good companion plant I think. I've heard that the hybrids are more tolerant of a wide variety of growing conditions than the species are, so Heliamphora minor x heterodoxa should be a good plant to start with. I'm not sure about plants with similar growing conditions. Highland Nepenthes are used to wide temperature swings between daytime and nighttime so I'm not sure how similar they are to Heliamphora.
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Post by sflynn on Dec 20, 2013 21:18:01 GMT
There are many Utricularia's that grow with Heliamphora plants, as well as a few sundews, but i am having trouble remembering there names right now. Other than that Brocchinia is a relatively easy plant to grow that is found with Heliamphora. Not sure about any non-carnivores.
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maiden
Full Member
Heliamphora, the magic plant from the lost world.
Posts: 137
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Post by maiden on Dec 21, 2013 16:45:37 GMT
Hello One more heli grower on the way ! Congrats I grow my helis with my cephalotus. The succes key is adapting watering to media and relative humidity. And this no matter what plants you will grow with your heli. If you want to start directly with heli, i suggest you minor, heterodoxa, or a hybrid. If you want to test your 'heli grower skills' before buying a heli, i can suggest you utricularia calycifida. This utri specie just thrive when you give them a night temp drop, cool temperatures and very high relative humidity. For me, if you can make u.calycifida thrive(not just making yellowish leaves with weak flowers sterms, but really thrive with green and purple leaves), then you are skilled enough to make your heli thrive. I have some calycifida seeds if you want to try. I can send you a bag for free.
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Post by tupinambiswot on Dec 21, 2013 23:26:09 GMT
Thank you all for your help!
At this stage, I may try and jump right into H. minor or H. minor x heterodoxa. Oddly enough, they seem easier to obtain than their suitable companion plants.
The main question, then, is how the weather here holds up. I live in the NE USA, and depending on how the weather turns out in a couple of weeks, I may have to delay any CP plans until spring.
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Post by sykosarah on Jan 17, 2014 21:51:15 GMT
As far as lighting, my T5 HO works well with my carnivorous plants, especially my drosera seedlings. If you keep the light up high enough, the heat it gives off shouldn't be an issue, and these bulbs last a really long time.
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