Growing Heliamphoras in Malaysia

[kltower]

Dear All,

I have been growing heliamphoras for over a year now. I have something interesting to show you.

Here, side by side are two plants I bought from YG Park back in late December, last year. One in grown along with my highlander nepenthes in aircond environment with 60-70% humidity and subjected to bright morning sun. The other in a tank subjected to 80% to supersaturated humidity. The tank has a room temperature range of 25°C to 31°C. And lighted by three 2 ft florescent lights.



Are you surprise that this scrawny plant is grown in aircond environment?


And that this plant with etiolated leaves (not enough light) is grown in room temp, abit subjected to very high humidity.


And if the plant gets enough light it will produce coppertoned leaves. This plant has two reddish interior leaves and another coppertone tone leaves is emerging (bottom right).


This plant was one of the seven plants on sale at last year Penang floral fest. It is grown in the same high humidity tank. It has grown so big that I have subdived the plant. I am offerring 4 of the divisions for sale. Check the trading board column.

Note: Etiolated leaves - The lack of light causes the plant to forsake carnivory and to photosynthesise energy to survive. The leaves are flat, glabrous (not tubular) and green. The spoon is non existent.

Choong

[simpang1]

Thanks for sharing

[funkychips]

Nice Heliamphoras, Choong!

[jk]

Congratulations for growing heliamphora in KL at room temperature. Is the secret very high humidity? What would happen if the plants were taken out of the tank but kept in the room?

[kltower]

jk,

It has to be humidity. The reason why the pot that is grown in HL conditions have so many brown out leaves is because it is not getting constant humidity. Taking it out for long period of time will be suisidal.

Last year I tried growing TC H. nutans with my HL nepenthes. I placed the plants close to the humidifier exhaust. The humidifier is time controlled to switch off after a few hours of use. Still the plants died on me. So I think constant humidity is very important.

Choong

[kltower]

What about the buyers of the othe 6 plants from Penang Floral Fest. Can you guys show us your plants.

Choong

[funkychips]

Yeah, guys, then we can have more options for growing them if various growing conditions are achieved. I hope I can assimilate the conditions in your growtank for my tank, Choong.

[kltower]

Alvin,

Here's a pix of some of the plants that are packed into the 2ft x 1ft area.


A close-up of H. minor. Yes H. minor is really really small.


Choong

[funkychips]

Thanks for the pics, Choong. The tank looks pretty wet there. I have one exoterra terrarium with a modified glass cover on top, and slightly smaller than the dimension of your growtank. I suppose the heliam I'm to get from you will do fine in there. Do you still operate the humidifier in this tank? As I do not have a humidifer and the tank is placed in my bedroom which receives a temp of 20-25 C at night (daytime is without aircon so following normal room temp assuming that it stays below 30 C). I hope they are not too finicky about humidity. May I ask if by putting water trays and having the florescent lights at close range will help increase the evaporation rate and hence increase humidity? Do you think that will be effective in the long run? TIA.

Alvin

[kltower]

Alvin,

Make sure there is a fan blowing to circulate the air. The fan helps in three way:
1) cool the lights
2) help evaporation
3) air circulation, otherwise you will get fungus.

Choong