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  • #21
Great plants you have there Big Bella. How do you get such nice red coloration in your heliamphora? Could it be colder night temperatures trigger a deeper red in the pitchers, or do they always have that deep red color because of the light they are getting? Either way keep up the good work.

Thanks . . .

Many Heliamphora achieve that color in the presence of sustained bright light while other clones may remain greenish in the pot next to them (it varies). That reddening response of the anthocyanin pigment is also thought to be a protective measure on the part of the plants to avoid "high light stress" or photoinhibition -- a "sunscreen" after a fashion.

Considering where these plants are native and at what altitudes, it doesn't come as a great surprise . . .
 
  • #22
Great plants you have there Big Bella. How do you get such nice red coloration in your heliamphora? Could it be colder night temperatures trigger a deeper red in the pitchers, or do they always have that deep red color because of the light they are getting? Either way keep up the good work.

Yah, what BigB said.

Here is a thread kinda talking (more like reading about "Light Stress")

http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120505

But that first one is sure purdy :0o:

E
 
  • #23
Big Bella, Thanks for clearing that up about heliamphora and red coloration due to lighting...

My question about the temperature and color change only arose from the fact that a related genus (sarracenia), specifically S. purpurea takes on a much more red pigmentation once the temperature drops (i.e freezing temperatures) and not necessarily due to intense light. I thought Heliamphora may react similarly to cooler night time temperatures, however it appears my thinking was incorrect.

@ Entwadumela - Anothcyanin in plants does protect plants from environmental stresses such as sun light, but also acts as a measure to protect the plant from diseases too. Red pigment doesn't always mean " a light stress reaction" although in many cases such as what Big Bella referred to, anthocyanin acts as a "sun screen of sorts". It may also be an attractant for pollinators, or like S. purpurea, a reaction to environmental stress. Thanks for your thread though referencing light stress and pigmentation.
 
  • #24
@ Entwadumela - Anothcyanin in plants does protect plants from environmental stresses such as sun light, but also acts as a measure to protect the plant from diseases too. Red pigment doesn't always mean " a light stress reaction" although in many cases such as what Big Bella referred to, anthocyanin acts as a "sun screen of sorts". It may also be an attractant for pollinators, or like S. purpurea, a reaction to environmental stress. Thanks for your thread though referencing light stress and pigmentation.

I didn't intend to suggest that the red coloration was simply a stress reaction (otherwise I would be doing my plants little benefit).

Anthocyanin have also been linked to camouflage -- reduced rates of herbivory by animals visually incapable of detecting red wavelengths, as well as serving as aposomatic -- warning -- coloration to signal something noxious or toxic . . .
 
  • #25
amazing BB!! wow!!
 
  • #26
Beautiful Bigbella, astonishing! Here's mine for fun, though it doesn't compare to yours!

DSC02111.jpg
 
  • #27
Beautiful Bigbella, astonishing! Here's mine for fun, though it doesn't compare to yours!

You've got a very nice plant there -- and flowering too. My only suggestion would be to get the plant a bit more light by moving it closer to the source.

Good luck . . .
 
  • #28
Hey BigBella, I recently moved it closer to the lights, The Pitchers are starting to get a lot redder, it still has many of the pitchers from when it had less light. The flower stalk unfortunately burned because of the closer and stronger lights... Next time I'll be more careful! Thanks!
 
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