Characteristics and origin of the name of heliamphora, watering, feeding, transplanting, reproduction, fighting diseases and pests, interesting facts, species. Heliamphora is a member of the Sarraceniaceae family, which includes carnivorous representatives of the flora, which are ranked in the order of the Ericales. It also includes 23 species of insectivorous plants, mostly common in South America. And if we talk about heliamphora, then most of its varieties can be found on the lands of Venezuela and the border regions of Brazil.
The plant got its scientific name thanks to the Greek words "helos", meaning "swamp" and "amphoreus", translated as "amphora". Naturally, this phrase speaks of the places where this representative of the flora grows and its outlines. In some countries, the name is more poetic, for example, in English heliamphora is called the sun pitchers, which came from the interpretation of the word "heli" meaning "sun". However, this has nothing to do with the luminary. Because it is more accurate to call the plant a "marsh jug".
In the process of evolutionary changes, heliamphora has developed a mechanism for attracting insects to itself, their further capture and absorption. All this is due to the fact that the soils on which it grows are very depleted in mountain waterfalls and abundant tropical rains. Naturally, for their own survival, this representative of the flora formed traps with the help of spliced sheets, where a living creature falls. Digesting insects, the "solar jug" consumes a nutrient that cannot be obtained from the substrate.
It also has the ability to control the amount of liquid that gets into the jugs-leaves with precipitation. It is even known that one of the varieties (Heliamphora tatei) can produce its own enzymes that serve to digest caught insects without the participation of symbiotic bacteria that other varieties are endowed with. Insects, on the other hand, are attracted by signals, visual and chemical action.
All varieties of the genus Heliamphora have a herbaceous form of growth and are distinguished by the presence of underground rhizomes. Heliamphor leaves look rather unusual for a person who has never seen "green predators". In the evolutionary process, they acquired the shape of a cone and at the top they have a cap that resembles a lid. These traps are called "nectar spoon", since in the middle the entire surface is covered with multiple long (several mm) hairs - nectar glands that produce nectar and attract insects that become "food". Any insect that wants to feast on nectar or hide in a jug immediately becomes a prisoner, since sticky hairs and a heliamphor cap, which will block the entrance, do not allow her to get out. After a short time, gastric juice begins to arrive inside the trap leaf, through which the insect's body will be digested and only the chitinous skeleton will remain from it.
The color of the petals-jugs is mainly greenish or reddish tint. The color directly depends on the amount of illumination that the heliamphora receives, the more it is, the more purple the petals become. It happens that the general background of the leaf is green or light green, and on the surface there is a pattern of veins of reddish color and the same edge at the "jug". Plant height can vary from 10 to 40 cm.
When flowering, an elongated flowering stem appears, stretching to a height of sometimes up to half a meter. It is crowned with a flower of whitish-pink or whitish color scheme. Its diameter is 10 cm, there are two pairs of petals with a length of about 5 cm and a width reaching 2 cm. The number of stamens varies from 10 to 15 units, and anthers with sizes of 3-4 mm are formed on them.
Due to its natural growth in swampy areas, as well as moisture-rich air, growing this "green predator" in a room is considered one of the most difficult. And also for some varieties, cool (if the variety is "mountain") or warm (if - "lowland"), but with constant and very high humidity, cultivation conditions.
Recommendations for the maintenance and care of Heliamphora
- Lighting. It is necessary that the sun's rays fall on the plant at least 10 hours a day - windows facing east, west and south will do. In the autumn-winter period or in the northern room, backlighting is necessary.
- Air humidity maintained constantly very high, used for growing aquariums or terrariums.
- Watering needed for heliamphor constant throughout the year. The soil in the pot must be kept moist at all times. Only purified water is used - distilled, soft, thawed or rainwater.
- Content temperature should fluctuate in the range of 15-25 degrees. It is necessary to arrange jumps in temperature and even exposure to a draft is allowed to simulate the natural growing conditions.
- Fertilizers it is strictly forbidden to use, only sometimes you can offer small insects to the plant.
- Transfer green predator and the selection of soil for him. If the climate permits, then heliamphora can be planted on the banks of artificial reservoirs or next to a pool. In indoor conditions, they try not to disturb the plant with frequent transplants, since it has weak roots and does not tolerate well when taken out of the pot. A soil change is carried out before the start of growth activation, in the spring, after the winter rest ends. A drainage layer is placed in the pot and soil is poured onto it, a fairly light consistency. It can be compiled independently by mixing river washed and disinfected sand (so that it does not contain excess substances and mineral compounds), peat soil and perlite, observing the proportions of 2: 4: 1, respectively. The acidity of the substrate should fluctuate between pH 5-6, which is very similar to natural soil in places of growth.
Reproduction of heliamphor at home
To get a plant with trap pitchers, heliamphor seeds are sown by dividing the overgrown specimens.
Since when grown at home, the growth rate of this exotic is quite slow, then when sowing seeds, you can wait for flowering only after seven years. Seeds are sown in Petri dishes filled with peat soil or peat cups, in order to subsequently move the plant painlessly into pots. Before planting, compulsory cold stratification is recommended for one to two months, otherwise the seedlings will not wait. It is recommended to place crops under glass or wrap them in plastic wrap to create conditions with high humidity. If sprouts appear and grow, they must be moved to small pots with suitable substrate and maintained using aquariums or terrariums. However, this method of reproduction is rather complicated, therefore division is used. Over time, a new growth of young leaves begins to appear around an adult specimen of heliamphora, which soon have their own roots. In spring time (preferably in April), you will need to carefully separate these young "jugs" and transplant them into separate containers with suitable soil for further growth.
Reproduction can be carried out by segments of roots, but this operation is performed when the "solar jug" reaches a certain size, if the plant is divided too often, then it begins to shrink and may subsequently die.
Separation of 2-3 old jugs from the curtain is used, which will act as leaf cuttings. They are also easy to plant in separate containers with the specified soil.
Difficulties in cultivating heliamphor
When grown, it can be affected by aphids or botrytis. Susceptible to attack by mealybugs or scale insects. Means for combating botrytis, in which there is copper (for example, Benlate), are not recommended to be used, since the plant may die, the same with insecticidal preparations.
Interesting facts about Heliamphora
Heliamphora was first discovered by the botanical community in 1840, when the English botanist George Betham (1800–1884) examined and then described a flora specimen provided by Sir Robert Hermann Schombour (1804–1865), a German explorer. He was in the service of Great Britain in the person of the British Consul in the Dominican Republic, as well as in Siam (today's Thailand). Also, this scientist conducted research in South America and the West Indies, directly related to geography, ethnography and botany.
This variety began to bear the name Helianphora nutans and for a long time was the only representative of the genus. Until in 1931, the American botanist, geobotanist and ecologist Henry Alan Gleason (Gleason), who lived from 1882-1975 (in scientific sources, he is found under the name Gleason Henry Alan (the Elder)), presented several more samples of this plant. They were Helianphora tatei and Helianphora taleri, and a little later Helianphora minor was added to them.
Then, in the period 1978-1984, botanists Julian Steimark and Bassett Maguire led a revision of the Heliamphor genus and added several more varieties there.
Types of heliamphor
- Heliamphora drooping (Helianphora nutans). This plant produces basal leaves with pitcher-like outlines. The surface of the leaf plate is painted in a pale greenish tint. There is a reddish strip along the edge of the sheet, in the middle part the leaves are, as it were, slightly compressed. At the top of the leaf, in its central part, there is a small curl cap. These leafy "jugs" form whole thickets measuring 10-15 cm in height. When flowering, small flowering stems appear, which can reach an average height of 15-30 cm, crowned with drooping flowers painted in whitish or pinkish tones. The native territories of growth are the lands of Guyana and Venezuela (in Serra Pacaraima - in the south of Venezuela), as well as the border regions of Brazil. Likes to settle on sour humus, choosing mountain boggy areas for "residence". The plant was the first of this genus to be described at the beginning of the 19th century when found on Mount Roraima, and is the most famous type. It grows at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 2700 meters above sea level.
- Heliamphora minor (Helianphora minor) represents the shortest specimen of the family. The pitchers of this species are small and can grow to a maximum height of 5–8 cm. They have a bright color of green and light green, streaks of bright red color are visible on the entire surface, and the central axis of the pitcher and its cap are also shaded by it. The inner surface of the trapping petal is covered with long hairs. During its growth, this variety has the property of “spreading out”, capturing ever large territories, forming colorful low clumps. When blooming, buds of a pale color appear, which are crowned with elongated flowering stems, often reaching a length of 25 cm. If the plant is grown indoors, then the flowering process can be year-round. In conditions of natural growth, it is found on the lands of Venezuela.
- Helianphora heterodoxa great for growing in a terrarium. The plant was first described in 1951, when it was discovered on a mountain plateau in Serra Pacaraima (territory of southern Venezuela), which bears the name - Ptari Tepui. This species can grow well at elevated temperatures, which are common in the low-lying regions of the savannah, as well as in the vicinity of Mount Gran Sabana. Selects for growth an altitude within 1200-2000 meters above sea level. The growth rate of this species is quite vigorous and at the same time a large "spoon" of nectar is formed in the trapping petal. The color of the pitcher petals is of a dark reddish tone, and in some places a greenish background appears, which, depending on the conditions of detention, may appear more or less to one degree or another. As they grow, trap leaves grow close to each other, creating a continuous soil cover.
- Bag-shaped heliamphora (Helianphora foliculata). This species was described quite recently, when it was found in the mountains in the south of the lands of Venezuela - Los Testigos, choosing for growth absolute heights from 1700 to 2400 meters. The flowers that appear on the plant have whitish or whitish-pinkish shades. The variety got its specific name due to the appearance of trapping leaf plates. They practically do not change in diameter, smoothly rising and increasing above the substrate in the form of a kind of sacs. The color of the hunting "jugs" can show off both red-burgundy tones and a greenish background with red veins on it. The edge of the latter is usually decorated with a bright red color. The plant loves to settle in shallow water bodies or wetlands, in Tepui areas open to all the winds. Since an increased amount of precipitation falls annually in these territories, then when grown in culture, it will be necessary to withstand conditions with high humidity, which are usual for a "green predator".
- Heliamphora bristly (Helianphora hispida) was discovered recently and chose the Venezuelan lands on Cerro Neblina for its habitat. Where there are acidic shallow swampy areas, the plant, expanding, forms whole low-growing clumps. Flowers, sitting on half-meter flowering stems, have a white or whitish-pink color. Trap leaves have a rich greenish color, but the entire surface is riddled with reddish veins. Some "jugs" are distinguished by a more intense reddish color, while others are practically devoid of it, and only along the very edge and keel is there a reddish color.
- Heliamphora pulchella (Helianphora pulchella) grows at an altitude of 1500–2550 meters above sea level in Venezuelan lands. Loves swampy and humid areas for "residence". The dimensions are very small, was discovered and described in 2005. The color of the leaf traps is dark grayish-eggplant or grayish-burgundy with a whitish stripe along the edge. Inside the "jug" one can see multiple white hairs up to several millimeters in length. In height, these leaf traps reach sizes from 5 to 20 cm with an average diameter of 8 cm. On the edge of the jug there is a helmet-shaped cap with dimensions up to 8 mm. When flowering, flowering stems are formed in half a meter, they are crowned with flowers, which, having opened, approach 10 cm in diameter. The bud has 4 petals, the shade of which ranges from whitish to pinkish. The length of the petal is about 5 cm and the width is up to 2 cm. The number of stamens in the flower ranges from 10-15 units, and each of them has anthers measuring about 3-4 mm in length.
More about Heliamphora in the following video:
