Hydnophytum moseleyanum (Ant House Plant)

[Jox]

Well today I sowed about ten seeds of this amazing plant, this is an awesome plant that I have admired & wanted to add to my collection for years.

For those who have not heard of this plant before, Hydnophytum moseleyanum is an epiphytic plant that is found in cape york Australia & P.N.G.

Hydnophytum are related to the genus Myrmecodia & both are epiphytic species & form a swollen caudex as there base, the caudex forms hollow smooth walled tunnels that run through out, only noticeable by little entry holes on the outside. These plants have a symbiotic relationship with ants that live inside the caudex, the ants get a sheltered air-conditioned home high up in the trees & the plant gets protection from the ants & nutrients from the ants waste material.

There are 55 species are found in the genus Hydnophytum, they are found in the Pacific region, Southeast Asia, Philippines, P.N.G & cape york Australia, 44 of them are found in & around New Guinea.

I am excited to finally have this plant in my collection but on the flip side, it makes me nervous & I don't want to have to my dramas with germination. I have set my seeds up in a pot with orchid mix at the base on top of that I sowed the seeds in a few millimeters of seedraising mix, I have put them in a little hothouse with 50% shade cloth under a 90watt MH light.

If anyone has grow this plant before I would love any advise.

Cheers

jox

Edited March 13, 2013 by Jox

[Alice]

Just looked it up, awesome plant!

If all else fails with the germination, I see there are cheap plants on ebay au.

These plants have a symbiotic relationship with ants that live inside the caudex, the ants get a sheltered air-conditioned home high up in the trees & the plant gets protection from the ants & nutrients from the ants waste material.

Maybe you should pop a plant in a fork of your caapi lol.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Alice