Re: Heliamphora

Terry Bertozzi - 229112 (swtftyb@hydrus.pi.sa.gov.au)
Wed, 23 Mar 1994 08:17:21 +0930 (CST)

>
>
>
> >>I have a modestly small Heliamphora whose pitchers tend to
> >>"umbrella" a few days after they open. That is, the rim pops down
> >>so in cross section they are bent outwards from the center. Does
> >>anyone know a general cause for this, ie to warm, humidity too low
> >>or high etc?
>
>
> I believe this is normal. All the plants I have that still have
> juvenile pitchers display this characteristic, reguardless of species.
> Some are in warm (70-75F) while others are in cool window sills
> (50-65F), all with high humidity. Adult pitchers appear suddenly and
> look like what I'd seen in photographs. What I find to be odd is that
> it seems like a couple of my plants alternate. I've got a H. minor
> that has put out two adult pitchers, but they alternated with two
> "umbrella" style pitchers with thin, straight tubes. I have a hybrid
> that only had adult pitchers until the other day (although in this
> case it might be a new crown). For me, H. heterodoxa x nutans took
> several months longer than other varieties of a similar age, to
> produce an adult pitcher - but what an odd pitcher it is!

I recently moved my _H. heterodoxa_ into my office and keep it in a terrarium.
There are two plants in the terrarium, one producing adult pitchers, one
juvenile pitcher. As soon as I moved it (from my greenhouse) the next two
pitchers have the characteristic "tuba" shape mentioned above. I think it
it is probably low light conditions that have caused this, so I'm moving it
back this weekend!

Cheers
Terry