Updated 5/10/08
Sun Pitcher / Marsh Pitcher - Heliamphora
Growing:
Heliamphora heterodoxa x minor (Pictured)
Heliamphora heteradoxa x nutans
Light: I grow mine in a 10 gallon terrarium. I updated my lighting and now use 1 - 40 watt 67,000K / 10,000K Sunpaq bulb and 1 - 15 watt Flora Sun bulb. Old lighting was 1 -15 watt Hagen Aqua-Glo bulb and 1 - 15 watt Cool White bulb for over 2 years.
Soil: I'm using a soil mix that is 60% perlite and 40 % peat moss.
Water: Use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis.
Humidity: Heliamphora plants should have humidity no less then 60%, with 85% being close to optimal.
Climate: Heliamphora plants like temperatures in the 60-80°F range. They also seem to enjoy a 5-15°F temperature drop at night. There is no dormancy required.
Heliamphora plants are from Guayana, southern Venezuela, and northern Brazil. The sandstone table topped mountains were they grow are known as "tepuis". These mountains are six to eight thousand feet above sea level were they disappear into the clouds.
The Heliamphora are the most primitive carnivorous plants. The trap looks like a leaf that is rolled into a funnel, joined by a seam in the front. At this seam, the pitcher is about a 1/4" lower then the rest of the trap. Excess water can run out of the trap while leaving any caught insects. Heliamphora lure insects to the trap by a small bell shaped, nectar spoon, which is attached to the back of the pitcher and hangs over the pitcher opening.
Out of all the carnivorous plants I tried growing so far, the Heliamphora gave me the most trouble.
They are heat intolerant so if you purchase any I'd do it early spring or in the fall when temps are not so hot. This was my first mistake with my first plant. It came during a very hot spell in summer. The plant looked horrible when I unpacked it and only lasted a few days.
Three others that I tried were small immature divisions that a fellow grower sent me at different times. 2 of them died, the 3rd one is still growing today. It seems that immature plants are very fragile. I did make a trade for a plant that had mature pitchers. This plant had no problems settling in and has been growing great ever since.
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