Sun Pitchers (Heliamphora)

CARING FOR HELIAMPHORA

Heliamphora are endemic to the Guiana Highlands in South America, specifically Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana where they grow on isolated highland plateaus called tepuis. These tepuis receive a tremendous amount of rain and are exposed to long periods of direct sunlight, conditions in which Heliamphora have evolved to thrive. At the high elevation in which most Heliamphora grow, temperatures are relatively cool, between 45°F - 75°F.

Heliamphora collect rainwater in their pitchers, and have evolved a tiny slit which drains water to the proper level for capturing prey. All but one species of Heliamphora rely on bacteria to break down their prey rather than producing their own digestive enzymes.

Heliamphora can be grown in conditions very similar to intermediate and highland Nepenthes, requiring a bit more water and light but they do not require a temperature drop.

Location: Missouri summers and winters are far too hot and cold for Heliamphora. Therefore, they are best grown indoors, especially in a cool basement if available.

Light: Heliamphora thrive in very high levels of light. LED grow lights with 25-40 watts per square foot of growing area are recommended. A 100 to 120 watt grow light works great in an 18” – 24” square growing area.  A 280-320 watt ‘bar’ style LED grow light is perfect for a 2’ x 4‘ shelf.

Temperature: Heliamphora should be kept between 45°F – 80°F.  Growing Heliamphora too warm is perhaps the most common reason they die in cultivation.  A great way to control temperature and humidity is to use fans connected to smart outlets and smart temperature/humidity sensors. One species, Heliamphora ciliata, has evolved to handle warmer “lowland” conditions, although this species does not require warm temperatures.

Humidity: Heliamphora grow well with 60% - 85% relative humidity. When grown indoors an enclosure such as a grow tent, terrarium, or grow shelf helps to maintain humidity. There are some growers out there that have acclimated their Heliamphora to humidity as low as 20% RH, although this reportedly takes months of slow, careful acclamation.

Water: Rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water should be used for Heliamphora. There are a few ways you can approach watering Heliamphora.

·       Top Watering – top watering daily, or even more frequently, emulates their natural environment. This method requires well-draining potting media. Top watering is certainly the most labor intensive of the methods discussed here but this can be mitigated with automated irrigation. The other challenge with top watering is handling the excess water that drains from the pots. For a small collection, trays can be dumped out regularly.  For larger collections, water should be drained to some collection system. Hydroponic flood tables (even if not using that as a watering method) are ideal for this purpose. Water can be routed into a floor drain or even just into a bucket which is emptied regularly.

·       Tray method – Heliamphora can be grown with the tray method, setting pots in water or on a water wicking mat and allowing capillary action to bring up water as needed. This method requires potting media that can wick water.

·       Flood tables – This is a hydroponic watering method where water is pumped into a tray that floods the pots a few times a day.  The water then fully drains after a few minutes. It’s easy to automate this method with simple timers or smart outlets. The downside is the initial upfront cost and ongoing maintenance to clean the reservoirs.

o   Flood table trays can be found at hydroponics stores, and trays specifically designed for a 2’ x 4’ wire racks are perfect for Heliamphora.  However, these trays can be expensive. For a smaller scale, concrete mixing tubs can be found at various home improvement stores for less than $20.  Look for tubs with smooth bottoms to ensure that flood table fittings seal properly.

Potting media: When choosing a potting media, it really comes down to the watering method you plan to use.

·       Top watering or flood tables – use a very high draining mix, such as 50% coco chips and 50% pumice.

·       Tray method – use a mix with a large percentage of long fiber sphagnum (LFS) moss, coco coir, or peat moss to wick water. Note that using a large percentage of LFS can make it very difficult to repot or divide your Heliamphora without damaging the roots.

·       Charged biochar and organic slow-release fertilizers are also safe to use in the potting media

Fertilization: Heliamphora grown indoors require fertilization to thrive. Insects make a great meal but it’s more practical to use liquid fertilizer. It’s recommended to use multiple fertilizers to prevent nutrient deficiency from any specific brand. Use a mixture or rotation of any or all of the following:

·       Fish emulsion or fish hydrolysate, look for one that is high in nitrogen such as 12-1-1

·       MSU orchid fertilizer

·       Superthrive

·       Maxsea

Using a TDS meter, mix the powered fertilizer with water to reach a strength of 100-300 PPM (this is about ¼ to ½ tsp per gallon).  You should start with a weaker mix and adjust higher if your plants respond well. The specific strength will depend on your growing conditions and especially light levels. Fertilize every 1-2 weeks by filling pitchers. Fertilizer sprayed into the media will not harm Heliamphora and if your plant has sphagnum moss growing on top, the moss will take up the excess nutrients.

Propagation:

·       Division: Heliamphora can easily be propagated by division. Mature plants will produce clusters of pitchers and each cluster can be separated from the main plant. When kept moist, divisions usually begin to root within 3-5 weeks.

·       Seed: Heliamphora can be pollinated by hand and propagated from seed. Heliamphora release pollen in response to vibration, such as the beat of an insect’s wings. An electric toothbrush or tuning fork emulates this when artificially collecting pollen. The stigma is only receptive when the flower first opens. The opening is extremely narrow, only large enough for a single bee to get inside. Once the flower opens fully, the stigma is no longer receptive. Flowers will produce seed in 4-6 months

Signs of trouble:

-            Pitchers that feel and appear soft or shriveled pitchers, similar to wilted lettuce, is a major cause for concern. The plant is losing turgor pressure and may die. Bag* it immediately. If caught quickly, Heliamphora often recover fully.

o   *To bag a plant, place a Ziploc bag over the entire plant and pot to raise humidity to 100%. Most plants will show signs of recovery within 2-3 days. If so, slowly acclimate the plant to your regular humidity by cutting a few 1/2" slits in the bag every day. After two weeks, the bag should look like Swiss cheese and can be removed.

-            Pests and diseases: Given the humid, high light conditions required for Heliamphora, careful pest and disease management is important. Ventilation fans help to keep humidity from being too high for too long. The following products are safe for Heliamphora and are recommended:

o   General pest and disease control:  Bonide Fruit Tree & Plant Guard treats a variety of pests and diseases on Heliamphora.

o   Fungus gnats: SF (Steinernema feltiae) nematodes or Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (the bacteria found in Mosquito Dunks)

o   Cyanobacteria / algae / slime: while harmless to Heliamphora, this slime is unsightly and prevents sphagnum moss from growing in parts of affect plants. Physically remove the slime and any potting media around it, replace with fresh media and 4-6 penny sized clumps of live sphagnum moss to prevent future growth.

Other sources:

• The International Carnivorous Society Growing Guides