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Cephalotus seeding color?

Cephalotus seedling color?

Hello, I have been growing these little guys for about 6 months. I got them as seedlings. Some are supposed to be seedlings of Hummer's Giant and some were labeled "Black Form". It's my first time growing Ceph seedlings, and wanted to know if their color looked normal?

I water them from above. They are planted in typical peat and sand. The temps never go above 80 degrees and may 70 at night. I used some compact growing sphagnum moss on top to help with humidity. They
seem to really like it, I think the competition made them grow faster. I would appreciate any advice.

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Now, there's a drool-worthy set of plants. I have a 'Hummer's Giant' that would be a match for the plants in the second photo in both color and size.
 
Thanks bluemax, So their color is typical for 'HG' seedlings. That's good to know. The row of clear pots are the 'HG's the short pots are the 'Black Form'
 
Ceph coloration is a bit of a three sided sword. Light color/intensity/clone all play a very large part in it. There are another hundred factors that have been debated that may or may not effect coloration.

Basically...there is not a typical color for a HG. I have identical clones growing in the same medium, watered from the same water, under the same lights, right next to each other and they are different shades. I know they are the same clone since I grew them up from leaf pulls from the same plant.

I would be careful about any "black" clones out there, with advancements in lighting over the years people are getting blackish Cephs from non black clones. Take a look at Mobile's 'Big Boy' http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php/135819-C-f-quot-Big-Boy-quot-Pictures I have the same clone and its almost as dark, mine is more a deep purple where his is closer to black. This clone if not supposed to be a black clone, the artificial lighting is tanning the pitchers, I don't think people growing this clone outdoors are getting the same results.

That said, 'Eden Black' was described as it is growing outdoors in natural light not artificial. A big part why people want this clone, there is a lot of documentation and its proven to retain that coloration over multiple growers. A few times a year I see another 'black new shinny giant' clone pop up somewhere next to no photographic or written history. Grower beware.

Here is a time lapse to help with my point.

Moved some leaf pulls from a single T5 bulb or windowsill over to an LED setup

DSC_0769 by randallsimpson, on Flickr
2nd Ceph from the left 6 days later, I turned the pot around so I could get a photo of the main pitcher.

DSC_0771 by randallsimpson, on Flickr
9 days under the LEDs

DSC_0787 by randallsimpson, on Flickr
Ceph on the left 20 days under the lights

DSC_0826 by randallsimpson, on Flickr

Hope some of this was helpful.

The entire build thread for the rack http://www.terraforums.com/forums/s...uild-a-Cephalotus-grow-space-would-love-input!
 
I have identical clones growing in the same medium, watered from the same water, under the same lights, right next to each other and they are different shades. I know they are the same clone since I grew them up from leaf pulls from the same plant.

I agree. Why this happens is anyone's guess but it occurs in other genera as well. But I would say that if a group of clones is growing in the same conditions and shows the same coloration that is some evidence as to their ancestry, though I would never hold it as definitive. With seedlings it gets messier.
 
I would agree with all of the above. I think they are a colorful group of plants. I got from a place in the Czech Republic. Which means they are TC plants. I trust that the labels I have for them are correct. The 'HG's labels say "seedlings of Hummer's Giant" so they aren't true 'HG's. Maybe one will grow up and be bigger, that's why I like seedlings. You never know what trait buried in their DNA might show up. The 'Black Form' I'm assuming are strait TC from some dark clone. I don't know if it was 'Eden Black' or not I didn't ask. I'll be happy as long as they don't die.

I have so many because when I got them the shipment was delayed two weeks. When I opened the package they were bone dry and bleached out. They sent me replacements with no problems. I keep the first batch just in case one would live. They didn't live all were dead, one month later all of the roots in the moss started to grow new plants. Every time I would take some out to plant, more would spring up from the moss. That is were all those tiny ones you can see in the first picture came from.
 
Great little seedlings, interested to see who you got them from in the Czech Republic, I'd love a few of those to my collection
 
I have so many because when I got them the shipment was delayed two weeks. When I opened the package they were bone dry and bleached out. They sent me replacements with no problems. I keep the first batch just in case one would live. They didn't live all were dead, one month later all of the roots in the moss started to grow new plants. Every time I would take some out to plant, more would spring up from the moss. That is were all those tiny ones you can see in the first picture came from.

How cool. A disaster that turned out to be a blessing for you.

Yes, I like dealing with seedlings because of the possible variations as well. I think it's even more exciting.
 
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