Cephalotus Follicularis Australian Plant !!

It is a unique plant of its kind and grows naturally only in Australia. Unlike the other insectivores, Cephalotus has well-differentiated insectivorous leaves from non-insectivorous leaves. The non-insectivorous leaves are like those of any normal plant and the insectivorous ones are appendages that end in a vesicle with a lid. Its growth is slower than most insectivorous plants and its care is not so easy, but already finding the ideal conditions it will grow in a robust and striking way.

Distribution: A small area in the Australian Southwest, on humid soils. Plant type: Terrestrial, in rosette. Size: Height up to 15 cm (winter leaves), jugs up to 5 cm. The diameter depends on the size of the rhizome.

The cultivation of Cephalotus is not easy. You have to water with caution and avoid too high temperatures. In addition, it demands a constantly high humidity. Jar lids are tilted down on hot, dry days so that digestive fluids do not evaporate. When the humidity increases the lids return to their normal position. Family: Cephalotaceae. Species: One only, Cephalotus follicularis. Description: It has a heterogeneous growth: in winter and spring it produces large oval leaves (not carnivorous), and in summer and autumn, jug traps.

The jugs have a semitransparent lid and have a border with many teeth that point to the interior. The inside of the jugs is narrower at the top. On the outside, three furry moldings run through the front of the jugs from top to bottom. The jugs have a size between 2 and 5 cm and leave the rhizome attached to a stem that ends just below the lid, on the back of the jug (not on the bottom as in the Nepenthes). The fine roots are long and sensitive. The white flowers, barely visible, grow on a floral peduncle about 60 cm long. However, it is very difficult for plants to flourish and produce seeds. Trap type: passive jug trap. Active digestion

Operation: The dams (especially ants) are attracted by the nectar produced at the edge of the jugs and are driven there by the furry moldings. Once over the edge, the semitransparent windows of the lid and the nectar produced a little below encourage them to go deeper into the jug. The dams slide and fall to the bottom of the jug, from where they can not climb because the top is narrower than the bottom. The dams are degraded by the enzymes produced by the plant.

TEMPERATURE: In summer between 15 and 30 ºC and in winter between 5 and 15 ºC. Avoid frost (in winter) and temperatures higher than 35ºC (in summer). It is good that the temperature is lower at night than in the day, but it is not necessary. LIGHT: In the middle of shade or with direct light. Direct sunlight for short periods will give the Cephalotus a color that ranges from deep purple to red, but will produce slightly smaller jars. Otherwise in shaded environments, the plant produces larger green colored jars. A trick that can be applied is to keep the plants in the shade so that they produce large jugs and then place them in the light so that they acquire the characteristic color. In any case, the Cephalotus requires light for periods of around 12-14 hours and direct sun in the mornings for periods no longer than 3 hours.

HUMIDITY: Irrigation due to light stagnation, without puddling the substrate. It is preferable that the substrate be dry to wet, not to have it with water more than 2 days in a row (water breaks). Water only with distilled water or rain. Environmental humidity constantly above 60%.

SUBSTRATE: They grow on a lot of substrates, when they are younger they can stay with more moisture, something they will not tolerate later. The substrates can be blond peat with quartz sand or perlite / vermiculite in 2: 1 ratio, or even mixing these with a part of sphagnum moss. They develop perfectly on sphagnum only. The culture vessel should be relatively deep (about 12-15 cm), to make room for the roots and allow the plant to be much more robust. Care when transplanting so as not to damage the roots.

REPRODUCTION: By seeds, division if the rhizome is strong, or by leaf cuttings with winter leaves. Do not touch the cuttings to avoid damaging the roots.