Date: Mon, 29 May 2000 14:12:26 +0100 From: "Guy Van der Kinderen" <Guy.VanderKinderen@rug.ac.be> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1653$foo@default> Subject: Re: U. humboldtii cultivation/populations?
Hi Chris,
> I've noticed that this species can be found in several places on the
> South American tepuis. Are there any variations between the different
> populations?
I don't know about this, maybe Fernando?
> What is an good medium for this species, maybe live sphagnum? Is it
> possible to keep it too wet?
You can grow U. humboldtii in a lot of muddy substrates. I keep
mine in a cut-off plastic ice-cream box, with some draining holes
drilled at about 2 cm from the bottom. As a substrate, I originally
used a mixture of chopped sphagnum and Osmunda root, topped
with living sphagnum (and a bottom layer of small pebbles). Apart
from the 2 cm of water, it receives one minute of misting seven
times a day. But it grows out of its container, into pitchers of
Heliamphora and Brocchinia (that is, in the liquid they contain) and
also in the expanded clay beads surrounding the original container.
It seems, from experience, that it does'nt like abrupt changes of the
substrate. You'd better let it grow by itself, rather than planting it in a
new substrate. In my terrarium, it almost became a weed.
> Finally, is this species difficult to flower? Does it need any special
> treatment for this, cooler temps (like many orchids) or large boosts of
> nutrition to build up an energy reserve, since producing those beautiful
> flowers ought to be exhausting?
It seems to flower when the original container becomes to crowded.
(but it does'nt flower very regularly). So, it rather seems to flower
when nutrients become restricted (as also seems to be the case in
other species), although I have no idea about the catches its
bladders probably make in my terrarium. I keep my plants at a
minimum temperature of 15 dgrs. C, and maximums which may
raise up to 30 dgrs. C (with regular misting!).
I hope this useful,
Kind regards,
Guy Van der Kinderen
Botany Lab & Botanical Garden
Dep. Biology
University of Gent, Belgium
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