DANGEROUS PLANTS Growing Guide


	Growing Guide: Cephalotus

General

Cephalotus is an ideal terrarium plant and grows quite rapidly if given proper conditions. Our personal cephalotus plants are planted directly in fish tanks filled with a 50/50 mixture of sphagnum peat moss and silica sand. Make sure NOT to use white or beach sand since it is high in salts & calcium, which will kill your plants. The commercial plants are grown in 3 inch pots filled with the same mix. Good results have been reported using a mix of 33% peat, sand and pearlite, so that will be tested as well. Generally speaking, Cephalotus doesn't like having its roots disturbed, so make sure to be very careful when transplanting.

Cephalotus can take full sun and the pitchers develop striking color when grown outside. When first putting them outside in the spring, make sure to acclimate them to full sun slowly over a week or more. They like warm humid conditions with summer temps between 70-90 degrees. NEVER allow them to dry out! Winter temps can go as low as 35-45 degrees with no ill effects, but can also be considerably higher as well. They don't have to have a dormancy period, but seem to do better if given one.

Windowsill

If possible, you should put your potted plants in front of a south facing window, to bring out their best color. The relative humidity should be above 50% at all times. Spring to Fall keep your plants very moist, but not standing in water. The trays commonly used under window box planters make excellent decorative trays for the windowsill.

Terrariums

Most likely, additional lighting will be necessary and the design for custom built lids will soon be available from this page. If you aren't relying on natural light, attempt to mimic the seasons by gradually adjusting the photoperiod between 14-16 hours for "summer" and down to 8-10 hours for "winter". Enclose the terrarium with plastic wrap or glass to keep the humidity in the tank. Make sure not to completely enclose the tank if you have it in front of a window, as this may lead to overheating. During the winter, place the terrarium in an unheated room or by a drafty window, to provide cooler conditions. You may want to spray the plant with a fungicide, such as Benomyl, to prevent fungal growth.

Greenhouse/Outdoors

In full sunlight, Cephalotus turns a deep purple color, but produces slightly smaller pitchers. Conversely, in more shaded environments, the plant produces larger, green pitchers. One trick I have used with some success has been to keep the plant in a shadier spot until the pitchers have reached a nice size, then place the plant in a sunnier spot. In this way, you get the large pitchers, along with the deep color.

Propagation

Divide rhizomes while transplanting in the early spring, before vigorous growth resumes. Individual leaves and pitchers can be used as well. We place them under fluorescent lights, floating in distilled water in perti dishes or in clear containers filled with live sphagnum. Plantlets start developing in about 4-6 weeks.

Seed Germination

We sow the seed on the surface of 50/50 peat and sand. After stratifying for 4-6 weeks, the seeds start sprouting in 4-6 weeks. This cool period breaks down chemicals that naturally prevent premature germination (during the season the seed is produced) and naturally occurs during the fall and winter. Don't worry, you can simulate this in your refrigerator. They are kept 4-6 inches from standard shop lights, or outside in full sun. From seed, it may take cephalotus two or three years to reach maturity, and they can live several decades.