FlyTrapCare Forums

Hi. I'm wondering what the requirements for this plant are, because I've heard different information on what this plant needs to thrive. I've heard this plant can be treated like a normal house plant. I've also heard that this plant is a highlander that lives next to Heliamphora. Yet I've also heard that cold weather(highlander conditions) can stress and kill this plant. So I'm wondering what type of conditions these plants require.

I've seen people grow it on windowsills.

A month later but I will answer your question, hope it isn't to late.

The care is quite easy actually, considering it lives on tepuis next to Heliamphora. Growing medium is 50/50 peat/perlite or Sphagnum (with or without perlite). It was growing in 100% peat when I got it, I repotted it to peat/perlite when it was getting bigger and this year I repotted it to Sphagnum. It is doing fine, no real difference in growing speed but I think it liked the peat maybe a tiny bit better. Dont't let it sit in water, it can be in a layer of water for a day but don't let it sit in there too long. Give it rain, distilled or demineralised water. The soil needs to be moist, it can dry out sometimes without any problem. Humidity doesn't matter, just as long as it is above 40%. Give it allot of light, indirect sunlight is perfect but they can handle full direct sun as well, as long as the sun is not a deadly laser it can take hours and hours of direct sunlight. It is perfect for a windowsill yes, but also a terrarium cause it likes high humidity as well. Probably grows a bit faster than (but definitely not neccesary). Temperature wise don't let it drop below 7 degrees Celsius or above 30 degrees Celsius and you should be alright although it probably can take 35 as well. You can spray it, it will like it and I will tell you why:

The most important thing about Brocchinia is the water level in the pitcher. You see, unlike Sarracenia, Heliamphora or Nepenthes it only has 1 pitcher which is called the urn (some people use other names as well). Since it has only 1 pitcher it has to take care of that pitcher very well. In its natural habitat it rains allot so the urn will always be filled with water and the leaves will always be wet and slippery (also cause of the high humidity). To much water will make the urn flood and it will just flow into the soil. But if you don't fill the urn with water it will become dry and the plant sure as hell doesn't like that.

The plant isn't the best hunter, but it doesn't really need much food. It will be happy with 1 lonely fly once every few months. You can, of course, feed him a bit. I have no experience with using fertilizers, but be careful. Just give it some dried bloodworms or some other insects. Insects are lured to the well, but the water level looks a bit lower than it actually is (and they possibly can also be attracted by reflected light). The leaves are slippery and they are covered in a kind of wax, insect legs will lose their grip and fall into the well. Catopsis berteroniana also adds a honey scent to the water, but Brocchinia doesn't do that.

The care for Brocchinia hechtioides and reducta is the same

Hope I informed you well and sorry for my English, I am not a native speaker.

greetings,


Tijmen

Blaasjeskruid18 wrote:A month later but I will answer your question, hope it isn't to late.

The care is quite easy actually, considering it lives on tepuis next to Heliamphora. Growing medium is 50/50 peat/perlite or Sphagnum (with or without perlite). It was growing in 100% peat when I got it, I repotted it to peat/perlite when it was getting bigger and this year I repotted it to Sphagnum. It is doing fine, no real difference in growing speed but I think it liked the peat maybe a tiny bit better. Dont't let it sit in water, it can be in a layer of water for a day but don't let it sit in there too long. Give it rain, distilled or demineralised water. The soil needs to be moist, it can dry out sometimes without any problem. Humidity doesn't matter, just as long as it is above 40%. Give it allot of light, indirect sunlight is perfect but they can handle full direct sun as well, as long as the sun is not a deadly laser it can take hours and hours of direct sunlight. It is perfect for a windowsill yes, but also a terrarium cause it likes high humidity as well. Probably grows a bit faster than (but definitely not neccesary). Temperature wise don't let it drop below 7 degrees Celsius or above 30 degrees Celsius and you should be alright although it probably can take 35 as well. You can spray it, it will like it and I will tell you why:

The most important thing about Brocchinia is the water level in the pitcher. You see, unlike Sarracenia, Heliamphora or Nepenthes it only has 1 pitcher which is called the urn (some people use other names as well). Since it has only 1 pitcher it has to take care of that pitcher very well. In its natural habitat it rains allot so the urn will always be filled with water and the leaves will always be wet and slippery (also cause of the high humidity). To much water will make the urn flood and it will just flow into the soil. But if you don't fill the urn with water it will become dry and the plant sure as hell doesn't like that.

The plant isn't the best hunter, but it doesn't really need much food. It will be happy with 1 lonely fly once every few months. You can, of course, feed him a bit. I have no experience with using fertilizers, but be careful. Just give it some dried bloodworms or some other insects. Insects are lured to the well, but the water level looks a bit lower than it actually is (and they possibly can also be attracted by reflected light). The leaves are slippery and they are covered in a kind of wax, insect legs will lose their grip and fall into the well. Catopsis berteroniana also adds a honey scent to the water, but Brocchinia doesn't do that.

The care for Brocchinia hechtioides and reducta is the same

Hope I informed you well and sorry for my English, I am not a native speaker.

greetings,


Tijmen

Your English is better than most native English speakers. Thank you for telling me how to care for B. reducta.

thnx haha, and you´re welcome