Ant ferns and ant plants from Wistuba

[Druboi]

Is anyone growing the higher elevation species, from Doormans Top and other high altitudes, with cool nights? Do these species seem to require these temperatures or are they fairly tolerant of household growing temperatures, under lights?

What special methods or accommodations are you providing your higher elevation species?

[Stone Jaguar]

Yes, I grow several myrmecodias and one Hydnophytum sp. from high elevation New Guinea. I have found that they are tolerant of brief periods of surprisingly high day-time temperatures (to ~33 C/92 F in the greenhouse recently). However, I should note that in the San Francisco Bay area we see consistent ~10-14 degree C (20-25 degree F) declines from daytime highs overnight and into the early morning hours which, together with proper humidity, appear to be the critical factors for success with many high elevation cloud forest plants.

 

In my experience, most hydnophytines require very high light levels to thrive and develop caudexes similar to those seen in nature. Frank Omilian has successfully grown these plants under lights in a large Wardian case, so perhaps he can provide input as to what lighting sources he has had success with.

 

In terms of my own experience with "cold" lighting for deep, planted amphibian enclosures, I have had some long-term success with twin high-output Guisseman T5s in combination with (many) LED bars, like the 33 cm (13") 22W Jungle Dawn Enhance Spectrum screw-in LEDs available online. With a few 120 mm (~5") computer fans on timers installed in the setup, you can achieve very brightly-lit terraria that can be held at cool to intermediate temperature ranges, depending on the background temperature.

 

J

[Frank]

While it is true that I have kept some high altitude Hydnophytums and Myrmecodias alive in an orchidarium in my basement they did not really thrive there and some did die.  For most of the year the night time temperatures in that basement were 62 to 66 degrees and daytime up into the 70s.  The plants are thriving* now in a greenhouse where the temperature most nights goes down into the 50s.  The light is poor now in the greenhouse compared to the T12 and T5 fluorescent bulbs I had in the orchidarium so I do not think light is anywhere near as important as the nighttime temperature drop.   It is my opinion that if you want to grow high altitude plants that you can be proud of you have to get them night temperatures into the 50s.

 

* "thriving" as used here means the caudex increased in size by 50 percent and leaf and stem mass increased by about 200 percent this year.

[Druboi]

Thank you both. I have created a terrarium out of a chest freezer, with an adapter, allowing me to set the temperature at 55F, for night drops. A 6 tube T5 fixture, with built in reflector will light the enclosure and a clear lid will keep humidity high and the heat from the lighting outside of the chamber. I will be growing them with highland Nepenthes.

[Frank]

We are going to be interested in how this works out for you Druboi,  Please keep us posted going forward.  We didn't mention it above but a small fan of some sort is going to be needed to keep air moving in the grow area.