Successes – Page 2 – Hermetospheres

The orchid flower that lost its symmetry

The ‘jewel orchid’ Ludisia discolor is common in culture, and reports from fellow hermetosphere enthusiasts as well as the description of the orchid’s natural habitat made me confident that it would also thrive in the closed container. My experience so far has proved me right. Jewel orchids are cultivateed mainly for their patterned leaves and…
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An island Gesneria and Baker’s law

Autonomous self-fertilisation, i.e. the ability to produce viable seeds in the absence of partners and pollinators, offers plants various advantages. In nature it can help to colonize distant islands, in the hermetosphere it can help to survive over several generations. The example of Gesneria cuneifolia is discussed.
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A fern with conspicuous white spots

Why does my fern Selliguea albidosquamata show a large number of white dots on the margins and upper side of the leaf blades? Some research revealed a likely explanation.
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The perfect fern

This creeping fern, most likely Davallia parvula, meets all the criteria for a perfect hermetosphere plant: small size, slow growth, robustness and delicate beauty.
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Death and the hitchhiker fern

Sometimes, when things look bad, it pays to simply wait and see if things change for the better. I have already described an experience of this kind (Death and resurrection). There is a similar story to tell today. A 5l container inspired by the flora of Costa Rica was set up on April 2023 with…
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Follow-up: Gesneria cuneifolia

Almost six months ago, I reported first experiences with seed-grown Gesneria cuneifolia. Now, with first flowers appearing, it is time for a follow-up.
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“Climbing stag’s tongue with scaly stems”

This fern is not only visually very appealing, it also has other characteristics that make it an ideal plant for hermetospheres: small size, slow growth and a preference for a permanently warm and humid environment. The fact that it is widespread throughout tropical America indicates that it does not make any exceptional demands in order…
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The ‘good’ Begonia

It is only ten years since this plant was given a scientific name. Nevertheless, it is already popular with plant lovers, especially for its rosette of maroon to dark malachite-green bubbled leaves covered with magenta hairs and its bright white flowers. The special appearance of the plant was one of the reasons why the authors…
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Acclimation (5): Gesneria cuneifolia

Gesneriads (Gesneriaceae), a family of plants named in honour of the Zurich Renaissance naturalist Conrad Gessner (1516-1565), have been very popular as ornamental plants for a long time. Main aspects of the cultivation are covered by The Gesneriad Society. Although most gesneriads are perennial herbs or shrubs native to topical or subtropical regions, some species…
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A jungle in the making

One of the most fascinating aspects of hermetospheres is to see how plant communities develop over years in a confined space – with only minimal intervention. The picture below shows the current state of one of my first containers. How it became what it is today is this story. One of my first containers ever…
Read more: A jungle in the making

Category: Successes