Description
Brocchinia reducta is one of the few carnivorous bromeliads, It adapts well to different types of environments, which is why it is considered an easy plant, suitable for beginners. Like all Bromeliaceae, it forms urns capable of collecting rainwater through its overlapping leaves. The sweetish odor emitted by the water and the leaves covered with smooth, waxy scales that reflect ultraviolet rays are able to attract ants and other insects.
Origin:
South American’s mountain between Brasil, Venezuela, Colombia e Guyana.
Description:
- Climate: tropical (highland)
- Life-cycle: perennial (no dormancy)
- Shape: erect
- Leaf: bright green
- Trap: the sweetish odor emitted by the water and the leaves covered with smooth, waxy scales that reflect ultraviolet rays are able to attract ants and other insects
Additional info:
For more info & photos visit our blog and our page Facebook and Instagram.
Care instructions
How we grow Brocchinia reducta?
In-vitro plants are acclimated in a Grow Chamber with controlled temperatures and humidity. This indoor setup ensure an easy adaptation to extra-vitro condition, guaranteeing the best conditions for plants in this delicate stage. All plants available at the Diflora shop have been acclimatised for at least 3 months. We grow Brocchinia reducta indoors all year round at a temperature of 20°C and a photoperiod of 16h. Plants are placed under 2 LED lights of 6400K and 24 W at a distance of 20 cm. It is watered from above every day without a saucer to avoid water stagnation. As with the majority of carnivorous plants, we use distilled water produced by our reverse osmosis system.
Lighting:
Full sun all year round! Is recommended to shade slightly or refresh it in the warmer summer months to avoid excessive temperatures that may stunt the plant’s growth.
Watering:
it is recommended to water daily from above, without a saucer, to avoid water stagnation. It is important to use only distilled water or alternatively all waters that have an extremely low mineral salt content. For example rainwater or all condensation water (air conditioner, dehumidifier). It’s important that the conductivity measures below 50 micro-Siemens.
Substrate:
While 50% peat and 50% perlite is fine as a general substrate, we recommend the Heliamphora substrate we have developed and tested for optimal growth of this genus as well.
Seasonally and temperature:
Brocchinia reducta is native to Venezuela, Guyana and northern Brazil where it lives in nutrient-poor soils. It grows mainly on the tepui of the Gran Sabana plateau, sharing this habitat with other carnivorous plant species such as Heliamphora. The climate is cool and foggy all year round, so they like high humidity and bright light, without ever warming up. Cooler nights are ideal. These genus plants don’t go into dormancy.
They can be grown on cool, sunny windowsills, but the best plants are grown in climate-controlled greenhouses or terrariums, where the daytime temperature remains at 20°C and the night temperature at 5-10°C degrees and with a high-power fluorescent light.
Additional info:
For more cultivation information visit our care guides or use our plant care support by writing to ilpigliamosche@diflora.it
Source
Diflora started the in-vitro propagation of this Brocchinia from plant parts. Micropropagation allows the preservation of the mother plant genome avoiding contamination and genetic variation caused by traditional pollination followed by seeds production.
Trapping technique
The leaves covered with waxy scales of Brocchinia reducta act as bait for insects due to its ability to reflect ultraviolet light and the sweet smell of water accumulated in the cup. Its smooth surface prevents prey from finding footholds, causing them to slip and drown. In 2005, it was shown to produce a phosphatase, which classifies it as a carnivorous plant. Insects trapped in the urn water are digested by enzymes and bacteria, and nutrients absorbed by the leaves.
English
Italiano
Deutsch