Monolena primuliflora

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
My ant plants decided in the last few months to stop producing leaves. Each plant only has 1 or 2 leaves on it and they only grow to mid-size before dropping off.

I keep them under a 1020 dome so there's adequate humidity. The media is also kept damp but not soaking wet. I feed every 2-4 weeks with a light orchid fertilizer as well.

At first I thought they were getting too much light and didn't make as many/big leaves but I've moved them to a spot with lower light and it hasn't helped much.

Does anyone know what's going on?
 

stevebradford

Moderator
Staff member
More water? I read this one will drop it’s leaves and go dormant if its at all unhappy. It likes it wet, wetter than other ant plants. It might also grow terrestrially beside streams and rock seepages as well as on trees but not more than three meters from the ground.

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My young one is doing well under 8 hours of 40w led lighting in a window that also gets 4 hours of morning sun. I keep mine in a shallow tray of water growing with my sub tropical sundews. You could ring water out of the soil. I over water everything it’s a real problem!
 
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stevebradford

Moderator
Staff member
Hey guys how are your Monolena primuliflora doing?

Mine’s still trucking along and looks to be putting out a new.. ball? Its growing on the end of one of the leaves. Hard to get a good shot as it’s being over grown by a nep and I wrapped it in sphagnum after I moved it to a drier area of the house. is adding a second ball something they can do?

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Carson Hardy

Carnivorous Plant Addict
Well here's my antplants, species unknown.

Not really any leaves, but a nice caudex? It was covered in mosses for the last couple months, so was under very humid/wet and no nutirents.
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Then this little guy is in peat/silica mixture. Healthy leaves, but also much younger.
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stevebradford

Moderator
Staff member
Hey guys how are your Monolena primuliflora doing?

Mine’s still trucking along and looks to be putting out a new.. ball? Its growing on the end of one of the leaves. Hard to get a good shot as it’s being over grown by a nep and I wrapped it in sphagnum after I moved it to a drier area of the house. is adding a second ball something they can do?

View attachment 7779
Well I should have figured It wasn’t dividing per say, it was flowering! Anyone know if it’s fruits will be fertile?
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Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
My plants are very lack lustre whole the plant I have my mom is doing extremely well. While mine are about 1.5cm wide, her plant's caudex is easily 5-6cm wise. I honestly don't know why or how. She doesn't even water it regularly....
 

stevebradford

Moderator
Staff member
Mine died :(

Looks as if mine is producing fruit/seed pods? And I owe you some plants Lloyd. If you feel like trying this again I will send you some seeds free.

Anyone know if the flowers will produce viable seed?
how it should be stored like moist/dried, cold/room temp?

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stevebradford

Moderator
Staff member
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I'd love to try some seeds! Sell me some please. :)
Of course I owe you too Willy

I hope things go well enough to collect some seed and I will definitely share everything I can. It would be great to contribute something back to all the generous people on this site.
 
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stevebradford

Moderator
Staff member
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been waiting for the pods to dry a bit more to harvest the seeds but if you look at the second down from the top it looks as if a seed tried to put a leaf out already. Any advice? Harvest them now? I will send the seed to you guys when you think I should. Thanks
 

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
The seeds are best used fresh/wet. I let some seeds dry out for too long and they don't seem viable anymore.

By the way, I put my ant plants in a high humidity vivarium and they are pushing out leaves like crazy. I think I just had them too dry before.
 
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