cephalotus flowers

[wadave]

Hey guys,

I've decided to allow some of my cephs to flower this year and try for some seeds.

Enjoy!










This one grew straight up until it reached the traps above it, then the top bent over 180 to point straight down. Over the proceeding weeks it grew several inched taller in this downward pointing position until the flower heads cleared the traps and straightened itself and now points straight up again....

Weird hey?










This would be a good subject for time lapse as the tips follow the sun during the day.

I will post photos early next year after they have started to flower, and then again if and when they've set seed.

Dave.

[vraev]

Wonderful Dave. Totally astounding. Now thats called a ceph. Holy mother of god!

[Aidan]

You should obtain seed without doing anything as some flowers at least will self-pollinate. You may perhaps increase yield by going around open flowers with a fine paint brush every day.

Here's what you have to look forward to...



...including resident predator.

[wadave]

I can't wait.... plus I've got plenty of little web spinning spiders in the GH willing to take their place.

What I'm not sure about is how the overhead misting will affect the pollination rate.

My VFT's flowers suffer from constantly having their anthers whetted down making it difficult to obtain pollen. I end up having to move the pot to a dry corner in order to keep the flowers dry.

I may have to resort to the same tactic which should be fine, I just have to remember to keep the ceph pots watered during the day.

Dave.