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Cephalotus is my favorite plant in the world!

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There's just something about this plant that I can't describe. It's definitely my favorite CP and favorite plant of all time!!
 
sarracenia21 said:
???I have been wanting them for a long time. Too expensive though. I jus a mafraid I will do something wrong.???:-(
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I know some places that will sell them for under $35.

If you can get the growing conditions just right, they will be awesome plants. Just keep the soil damp (not wet), bright light, reasonable amount of humidity, and they'll thrive.
 
dionae said:
I really hope its that easy.
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I've purchased 4 different Cephalotus over the past two years. The first one was killed from lack of light and over-watering (it slowly grew smaller and smaller before rotting away). The second one I killed from over-watering (I made the soil waterlogged and when I checked it the next day, I touched the crown of the plant and it just liquidated). The third one I killed from lack of light (it grew smaller and smaller before eventually it stopped growing altogether).

I bought a fourth Cephalotus back in early October. I repotted it into a 4-inch pot, the soil is 2 parts perlite, 1 part sand, 1 part peat with a top dressing of sphagnum moss. I have a water-tray but there is no water in it. I keep the soil damp (occasionally top-watering the plant) and I have it growing under a desk lamp. Currently, it's produced 3 mature pitchers since it arrived and it seems to put out a new leaf every couple weeks. The current pitchers and leaves are turning red from the light. In short, this is the most successful I've been growing Cephalotus.

In order to grow Cephalotus, you need the following:
1) a well-drained soil (perlite is excellent for this)
2) damp soil (do not have the pot sitting in a tray of standing water)
3) reasonable humidity (I had a humidity dome for a couple months, but removed it several weeks ago. None of the new leaves or pitchers have shriveled and it's still thriving)
4) good light (in shade, the plant remains green and is prone to rot. In abundant light, the plant is tough and turns into nice shades of red and purple)
5) occasional feeding (I once fed a pitcher a large insect and the pitcher died the next day. And since Cephalotus grows slowly, killing off many pitchers will be very harmful to the plant)
6) Don't mess with it too much (if you constantly repot it, it will go into shock and stop growing and perhaps even start dying. If you keep it in the same pot and don't change the conditions, it will grow and spread and divide)


Here is mine:
Cephalotus2.jpg
 
So, just treat it like a VFT with high humidity and leave the roots alone? I think i'm going to be able to handle a ceph just fine:). Thank you for the tips Wolfn!
 
Wolfn, out of curiosity, how often did you water that ceph? Mine is TINY and is growing out of a plug of sheet moss so it's tough to tell how damp the underlying soil is. The tips of the sheet moss turn brown, but I know that doesn't mean the soil underneath is bone dry. Just trying to strike the right balance, because my baby ceph isn't growing, and I know it's got everything to do with the amount of water I'm giving it!
 
TheFury said:
Wolfn, out of curiosity, how often did you water that ceph? Mine is TINY and is growing out of a plug of sheet moss so it's tough to tell how damp the underlying soil is. The tips of the sheet moss turn brown, but I know that doesn't mean the soil underneath is bone dry. Just trying to strike the right balance, because my baby ceph isn't growing, and I know it's got everything to do with the amount of water I'm giving it!
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I spray the top of the soil with distilled water about once a week. It keeps the soil damp but not waterlogged. About once a month I do a heavy spray so the water soaks down to the bottom (but with no standing water)
 
I keep mine in super bright light, cool temps, in front of a fan, with high humidity. I have it in a peat/sand/charcoal/pine mulch mix and I water it 2-3 times a month by sticking it in a container of water untill the soil is waterlogged, then I remove it and let it grow.
 
I haven't owned a Cephalotus before, I hope to soon though!

I think they are charming little plants and awesome unique pitcher plants.

However... I really haven't gotten into the obsession over them. It's a little hard for me to grasp. I wouldn't pay as much money as some people do for them because they will always just be a small plant.

IMO there are numerous species of Nepenthes that are so much more colorful, savage looking, exotic, amazing, etc..

Ceph's are awesome though. Maybe when I get one it will grasp my soul and never let me go???

But for now, I find Nepenthes to be the most awesome plants in the world.
 
I agree that if growing big and tall plants is what you find most rewarding, then Nepenthes would be your cup of tea.

For me personally, the Ceph's relatively small size is one of the things that draws me to it! Being that I have limited growing space, it's cool to be able to grow such a delicate and ornate plant within those constraints. I also like the downright mesozoic look of the Ceph - something very savage and menacing about it, what with the spiky teeth and fuzzy beard. Very cool little plants!

Now if only mine would start GROWING!!! :headwall:
 
you grow them leik dees:
JenskiCephTank2.jpg


by far one of the most amazing set ups ever. i'd link the original thread where this photo was from, but i cant seem to find it. :(
 
TheFury said:
For me personally, the Ceph's relatively small size is one of the things that draws me to it! Being that I have limited growing space, it's cool to be able to grow such a delicate and ornate plant within those constraints. I also like the downright mesozoic look of the Ceph - something very savage and menacing about it, what with the spiky teeth and fuzzy beard. Very cool little plants!
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I love small plants too! That's why I love N. argentii so much. Just the whole aspect of a tendril coming off of a leaf and forming a pitcher... So strange, gets me every time!

Cephalotus has lovely attributes though, almost equally as bizarre. I'll have to get one and see how I feel. :banana2:
 
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

---------- Post added at 09:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 PM ----------

Sorry Dex, that scream was obviously for that RIDICULOUS terrarium setup that amphirion posted. ^^^wtf??? :drool:

Yeah, I admit I too would be much more into Neps if I could provide hospitable conditions for more than just the most hardy of the bunch (N. ventricosa is all I have, and it's all I'd probably be able to manage). They are very captivating plants. But that's another reason I love Cephs... quite hardy and tolerant little buggers. But then why isn't mine GROWING!!! :headwall:
 
Since I just opened up my new camera, I figured I'd share a pic of my baby ceph... Couldn't resist!

DSC00006.JPG
 
IME Cephs are fairly simple plants. It might be because of how I grow it or what clone I have, but I treat mine like a Sarr. It's usually sitting in water next to them in full sun outside. It's been frosted at least twice this year already. It's been growing fine for nearly a year and has started making little Ceph offshoots.

Key IME: Good air circulation.
 
Regarding the image of the ceph tank set up

Hi- this is my first post here.
I just noticed someone showed the image of my ceph tank set up at the begining of this post. I apprecitate the comments.

The poster mentioned they could not find the original post . . . here it is:

http://icps.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=cephalotus&action=display&thread=3446

I'm not worried about it in this context, but please notice the copy write symbol with my name on it . . . a lot of energy went into that image! Thanks!
 
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