Creating, Beauty-seeking,
Web-spinning, Force of Nature.
one of my 7 Heavenly Lusts
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Cephalotus follicularis These carnivorous plants are found naturally in a narrow coastal strip around Esperence Bay in western Australia. It’s a Mediterranean-like climate of warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters where they grow in permanently damp areas of peaty sand on the edges of swamps. Cephalotus follicularis is a small, low growing, herbaceous species. Evergreen leaves appear from underground rhizomes, are simple with an entire leaf blade, and lie close to the ground. The insectivorous leaves are small and have the appearance of moccasins, forming the ‘pitcher’ of the common name. They are slow-growing, evergreen perennials: older leaves and pitchers die off as new ones are formed the following year. Flowers usually appear in summer. Unique among other pitcher plants, Cephalotus has a bright white collar that overhangs the well of juices. This collar is slippery and baited with nectar. Insects that fall down into the pitcher cannot climb out and are slowly consumed by the plant’s digestive juices. When exposed to sun, Australian pitcher plants turn a beautiful hue of reds and purples. With less sun, they may grow larger but remain greenish in color. Their lids don’t close to capture prey, but in times of low humidity or dry conditions they may slowly fold downward to cover the mouth. Perhaps this is to discourage the evaporation of its digestive juices. |
 Toby (10.11.2023)  Toby (4.26.2024) |
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Temperature: Cephalotus does best with moderately warm summers and cool to chilly winters. The plants may die in long periods of very hot weather and they enjoy cool summer nights. Tolerant of brief, light frost down to twenty-two degrees, but may be killed in lower temperatures. Best grown in cool highland greenhouse or terrariums. They can be grown outdoors year-round in extremely coastal Central-Southern California. Light: Full to part sun. They can be grown in terrariums under bright fluorescent light. (Which is how I grow Toby.) Remember: The more sun/light, the more color in the pitchers. Humidity: Thrives in cool and warm greenhouses, and will do well in partly sunny windows with fairly high humidity. Mist often. Soil: One part peat to two parts sand and/or perlite. Plastic containers with adequate drainage holes are best. Watering: Cephalotus will not tolerate long periods of being waterlogged; however, do not allow them to dry out. (I water mine sitting in a plastic saucer. I leave it there for an hour or two, then put it back in the greenhouse.) Feeding: Small sow/pill bugs, wingless fruit flies, or baby crickets can be fed to your plant. Dried insects also work well. (I buy tiny mealworms to feed to my plants, plus any bugs I happen to catch in the house.) Note: Occasional misting of foliage can be beneficial. (Miracid, Orchid, or Epiphytic fertilizer) Cephalotus are considered non-toxic to dogs and cats.
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