Cephalotus

Family. Cephalotaceae.

Origin. Australia. 

Description. Cephalotus is a perennial, evergreen, carnivorous, insectivorous plant. Unlike most of its predatory relatives, cephalotus has 2 different types of leaves. Some serve for photosynthesis, while others catch insects. In young bushes, photosynthetic leaves first develop, and then predatory leaves appear. The "predatory" leaves are pitchers covered with lids. The lids protect the pitchers from filling with rainwater. The bottom of the pitchers contains the plant's digestive juice. The pitchers can be either green - if the plant is in the shade, or burgundy - they become so under the influence of direct sunlight. In spring or summer, cephalotus produces tall, up to 60 cm, leafless peduncles bearing several small pink flowers.

Height. Often does not exceed 10 cm.

Care at home

Temperature conditions

Warm content at normal room temperature during the growing season is 21 - 25 ° C. At night, it is desirable that the temperature in the room drops slightly. Plants have a short dormant period, which they should spend in a cool place - at a temperature of 3 - 6 ° C.

Lighting

Cephalotus tolerates a wide range of light, and these conditions will likely only change the appearance of the flower. When grown in light, the pitchers will be burgundy and small, with insufficient light, their size will increase and they will remain green.

Care

Cephalotus is finicky and should not be recommended to novice gardeners, but this unusual plant will add zest to any collection. Trim flower stalks after flowering.

Substrate

Needs loose, well-drained soil with an acidic pH of about 6. A mixture of peat and sphagnum moss is suitable, with the addition of a small amount of charcoal and river sand or perlite to improve drainage. Does not require nutritious soil - it will develop better in a poor substrate.

Feeding

Cephalotus does not need additional feeding - it can die from it. The plant is able to feed itself.

Flowering time

Under natural conditions it blooms in spring and summer. In culture, flowering will occur only with proper care.

Air humidity

Cephalotus requires high humidity - about 60 - 70% relative. Using a humidifier helps increase humidity levels. You can also place the plant on a tray of damp pebbles or spray it with warm, soft water. 

Soil moisture

During the growing period, water with such frequency that the soil is uniformly moist. Cephalotus does not tolerate drought. During the short winter dormancy, reduce the frequency of watering - just protect the soil ball from drying out completely. Do not use hard, cold water for watering. Bottom watering is welcome - the pot is completely immersed in water and excess moisture is allowed to drain.

Transplant

Cephalotus has an extensive root system, so it needs large pots. The bush is replanted in March, trying not to damage the fragile roots.

Reproduction

Propagated by seeds sown in spring, and only freshly collected seeds are used for sowing, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. By division during transplantation.

Pests and diseases

When watering from above, moisture gets onto the leaves of the plant and they can rot. If overwatered, especially in the cold season, the plant may rot. Among the pests, aphids may appear.