View allAll Photos Tagged Substrate
Came across a LOAD of these growing on substrate, various stages, and sizes. Can't trace them in any of the fungi books. Any ideas?
At minus tide, probably loose from the substrate,
Estero Bluffs State Park,
San Luis Obispo Co., California
At first I thought this was a bleached seaweed, but turns out it's a colonial bryozoan.
The Sculptured Slipper Lobster has a wide, flattened carapace that covers its legs, helping it to blend into the substrate.
We don't know exactly what happened. We hibernate them yearly in a large tote full of substrate in a cold room at Mat's lab. We are careful about allowing their metabolisms to slow with the seasons and we wait for them to bury themselves in their outside enclosure before we transfer them. Mat even checks on them midwinter. (He was ok at last inspection.) It's impossible to know how old he was, I owned him for over 25 years, and unfortunately there are still tortoises in the pet trade that are wild caught. (That was especially true of larger retailers then.)
He was a tough and curious little pain in the butt who fathered all of our babies. He was the first to greet anyone who walked to their yard and even though I always feared him biting my toes, he never did. Sweetpea is the man of the herd now and though that actually makes for a better group (sometimes males can be aggressive towards each other), I'm heartbroken.
Rest well, little Ivan. 💔
Full Journal here on UKAPS.org - ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15952
Tank specs
Tank: ADA Cube Garden Mini M - 36x22x26cm / 5mm optiwhite glass
Hardscape: ADA Yamaya Rock, ADA Hornwood
Co2: Pressurised via Do!Aqua Music Glass - Mini 10D, Music Counter and ADA grey parts set
Lighting: ADA Mini-M - Solar 27W light
Filtration: Fluval 205 external to
Outlet - Do!Aqua Violet Glass mini MP-1 10D
Inlet - Do!Aqua Violet Glass mini MV-1 13D
Heating: None yet as its in a centrally heated room. I may add an inline heater in the winter
Substrate: ADA Power Sand Special topped with ADA Africana Powder - Penac P & W and tourmaline for good measure
Ferts per day: ADA Step 1 and Brighty K
Critters: Red Cherry Shrimp, fish undecided yet
plants to include - Ferns, tennelus, hairgrass, fissidens, mosses, Bolbitus and a carpet of Glosso
Taxonomy:
Photographer: Agiastito Hanggoro
Location: Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
Date: 09-2015
Depth: around 15 meters
Habitat: ? In situ.
Size:
Background: Near substrate corals and rocks.
[ Gosliner, Valdés & Behrens, 2015 ]
Pics of 10 small mosaic wall-hangings, each approximately 4 x 5". Pics aren't really a good representation of each piece, because each one has elements that extend beyond the substrate (and are not pictured). Each features tempered glass, handmade polymer clay tiles, and other tessera).
Weber extended his Bruno Weber Park (a sculpture garden) in Spreitenbach and Dietikon, where among other things, his house with a 25m high tower is situated. The park extends over a surface of 20'000 m². The sculpture park is the synthesis of the artist's life work, and is visited annually by thousands of people. From 1991 to 2003 Weber was responsible for the sculptural decorations on the Uetliberg mountain, including the street lamps leading to the top of Zürich plateau (Uto Kulm) and park benches, that still exist. Weber co-operated with Zürich architect Justus Dahinden, making sculptures for buildings in Dahinden, Vienna and Zürich.The lack of adequate methods to investigate brain energy metabolism with the required spatio-temporal resolution in the intact organism has hampered significant advances in the field. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensors specific for energy substrates, such as glucose, lactate and pyruvate have been developed and successfully used in cultured cells and in brain slices. A major advantage of these FRET sensors is that they do not interfere with the intrinsic metabolite concentrations and pathways. In addition to unsurpassed spatial resolution, FRET microscopy can also detect fast metabolic dynamics. Furthermore, these sensors have great potential for in vivo studies in combination with two-photon microscopy.
In ancient Egypt, the serpent Apep (Apophis) was known as the evil god who lived in the underworld, and was the most wicked enemy Apepof Ra. Apep was personified with the darkness of the darkest hour of the night, against which the God of light Ra must not only battle, but fight successfully before he could rise in the east in the morning.Ra was worshipped as a savior, and Apep worshipped against as the destroyer. Ra was the bringer of light and order, and upholder of Ma'at. Apep was the bringer of darkness, and Lord of Chaos. Apep was often depicted as a giant snake/serpent, and was sometimes called the Serpent from the Nile and Evil Lizard. Some accounts even said that his body stretched 16 yards in length and had a head made of flint.The Egyptians believed that Apep lived in the waters (blood) of the Egyptian underworld (earth), Duat, and would rouse from his slumber every night to attack Ra's boat as it made its way through the underworld. The Duat is the realm of the gods and supernatural beings. It is the region through which the god of light Ra travels from west to east during the night as he battles the demon worm Apep.Serpents, snakes and dragons through all ancient cultures were myths explained in allegorical fashion, and exoteric explanations to personify the human battle with forces of darkness that we know of today simply as worms and human parasites.This ancient fight between the forces of light and darkness and serpents (dragons) and men, is what I like to call the eternal alchemical battle for dominion of your soul while incarnated in the flesh. As I have often stated many times before, there is a war for your soul that is being fought on a daily basis, and those of you who are not aware of this age-old fact have most likely lost the battle to the demon worm of darkness and chaos, Apep before they have even began to fight.It is at night, that the forces of darkness which infest humans today, and that are known by names such as pinworms and threadworms, are most active. The adult worms live in the colons (large intestines) of humans, and the female worms migrate to the lower bowel out of the person's anus to lay their eggs. What the ancient cultures such as the Egyptians had depicted in the demon serpent Apep, was the eternal battle with these parasites that use the human body to survive and reproduce.Just look at these worms above and don't they now resemble some type of evil monster or demon like Apep?
These worms can also become almost demon like in their manners if the human host starts to lose the battle with them. A lost fight, that I believe then allows the worm to control the mind (blood and brain) of their victims. This process can be compared to a pack of wild animals that converge on their prey by gang stalking, and then attacking their victims with a full on assault that almost always ends in death for the unfortunate victim. This same thing happens with worms, but on a smaller scale, with smaller teeth and a slower death than we see happen with wild pack animals.
Is there truly a war for your soul, Lord or your Ba with the ancient serpent (worm) Apep?
This I believe is confirmed by the ancient Egyptians who were well-known as some of the most ancient alchemists, with Apep who was sometimes known as the "Eater of Souls" in which the dead needed protection, so they were often buried with magic spells that could destroy him. In the Book of the Dead, it describes how Ra defeated the chaos demon serpent called Apep in which 7 spells of 39 can be explained as such.
In the book "The Gods of the Egyptians," or "Studies in Egyptian Mythology, Volume 1" by Sir Ernest Alfred Wallis Budge, he details these chapters; In the 34th Chapter the deceased says:
"Get thee back, "Fiend, before the darts of his beams. Ra hath overthrown "thy words, the gods have turned thy face backwards, the Lynx hath torn open thy breast, the"Scorpion goddess, cast feters upon thee, and "Maat hath sent forth thy destruction. Those who are in the "ways have overthrown thee; fall down and depart, O Apep, "thou Enemy of Ra." A little further on the deceased says: "I "have brought fetters to thee, O Ra, and Apep hath fallen because "thou hast drawn them tight. The gods of the South, and of the "North, of the West and of the East have fastened chains upon "him, and they have fastened him with fetters; the god.
From the "Books of Overthrowing Apep," it provides information how to destroy this demon worm, which was said to be recited daily in the temple of Amen-Ra at Thebes. The first Book was divided into Chapters, which were entitled:
1. Chapter of spitting upon Apep.
2. Chapter of defiling Apep with the left foot.
3. Chapter of taking a lance to smite Apep.
4. Chapter of fettering Apep.
5. Chapter of taking a knife to smite Apep.
6. Chapter of putting fire upon Apep.
The following Books describe with great detail the destruction which was to fall upon Apep. First he is to be speared, then gashed with knives, and every bone of his body having been separated by red-hot knives, and his head, and legs, and tail, etc., having been cut off, his remains were to be scorched, and singed, and roasted, and finally shrivelled up and consumed by fire. The same fate was to come upon Apep's confederates, and everything which formed parts of him and of them, i.e., their shadows, souls, doubles, and spirits (1)
In Egyptian Magic, by Sir Ernest Alfred Wallis Budge, he had written that book called "The Book of Overthrowing Apep," which contained two versions of the history of the Creation, and a list of the evil names of Apep, and a hymn to Ea. One chapter is dedicated to putting the "fire upon Apep," where it is written, " Fire be upon thee, "Apep, thou enemy of Ea! The Eye of Horus prevails "over the accursed soul and shade of Apep, and the Chapter of Coming Forth by Day, p. 89: '' flame of the Eye of Horus shall gnaw into that enemy "of Ea; and the flame of the Eye of Horus shall consume all the enemies of the Mighty God, life! "strength! health! both in death and in life. When "Apep is given to the flame," says the rubric, " thou "shalt say these words of power:—Taste thou death, "O Apep, get thee back, retreat, O enemy of Ea, fall "down, be repulsed, get back and retreat! I have "driven thee back, and I have cut thee in pieces."
"Ea triumphs over Apep. "Ea triumphs over Apep. "Ea triumphs over Apep. "Ea triumphs over Apep.Apep tree of life
Taste thou death, Apep.
Taste thou death, Apep.
Taste thou death, Apep.
Taste thou death, Apep."
These last sentences were said four times, that is to say, once for each of the gods of the cardinal points. The text continues, "Back, Fiend, an end to thee! "Therefore have I driven flame at thee, and therefore "have I made thee to be destroyed, and therefore have "I adjudged thee to evil. An end, an end to thee! "Taste thou death! An end to thee! Thou shalt never "rise again."
3D Sublimation 101
Dye sublimation, a digital printing process that uses heat to transfer dye to materials such as a plastic card, printer paper, poster paper, or fabric, is rapidly gaining market share due to the increasing availability of new and improved combinations of inks, media, hardware and software that have pushed the quality range of digital media much higher.
Dye sublimation printing can reproduce images on a variety of flexible and rigid substrates, which can endure the amount of heat, pressure and dwell time necessary for image transfer. With two primary areas of focus, including sublimation to textiles/soft fabrics as well as rigid substrates, dye sublimation enables the production of items such as point-of-sale applications, banners, custom flags, license plates, snowboards and promotional pieces.
New Applications for Dye Sublimation Printing: Driving Market Change
There are literally hundreds of different applications for dye sublimation, meaning plenty of profitable business opportunities for digital decoration. The primary limitation is that the surface must be composed of polymer fibers and able to withstand 400° F of temperature without melting. Provided those criteria are met, sublimation will create a premium full-color, photographic-quality image that will not crack, peel or wash away from the substrate. You can download our free Extensive Marketing Report.
2D vs 3D Sublimation
2D sublimation normally using heat press. The flat (flat platen) press is available as a clam-shell style or a swing-sway style. The clam-shell version opens and closes like a clam, where the bottom platen is stationery and the top platen moves up and down. The swing-away press opens by lifting up the top platen, but then will move sideways completely out of the way for ease of placement and removal of transferred products. It only can press flat substrates.
3D sublimation use vacuum heat press or oven, it can fully sublimate curved products using an air-forced vacuum, like phone cases, mugs, computer mouse, perfect for curved products that don’t work easily in flat heat presses.
Paper vs Film 3D Sublimation
As we mentioned the major priority of 3D sublimation heat press or oven is fully sublimate curved products, there are two types of 3D sublimation system in the market, using paper or film. However the output quality are huge different. Simply google 3d sublimation heat press, you will find tons of red and black color 3d sublimation heat presses which are made in China, selling around one thousand dollar. These machines use sublimation paper to wrap the substrate first, then using an air-forced vacuum to suck the thin silicon pad to wrap the paper which wrap on the substrate, however the sublimation paper is not soft, so if the substrate has round corner, then either the image can not be fully sublimated or paper crease is sublimated onto the substrate. We bought one of them and have been testing phone cases over 6 months. The conclusion is only can make iphone 4/5/5s cases which are straight corner, most of Samsung cases and iPhone 5C cases are all fail, because thoses cases are round corner. Even sophisticated operator will have 20% defective rate for iPone 5 and 90% defective rate for those round corner stye cases. Moreover, it only can make one case each cycle as the vacuum suction is not strong enough. Don’t be fool by the video that shown can make 4 even 6 cases each cycle, but it never be, truste me. Also the image color is little dull even printed on glossy cases and impresson of silicon pad also sublimated onto the surface if you look carefully.
Another 3D sublimation system using film, mostly call “3D Sublimation Oven“, just google “3D Sublimation Oven“, you will find most of these system selling by Europe company. Usually one case system pricing between $5000 to $8000 and 4 cases system pricing between $12,000 and $16,000 which are not include VAT and shipping cost. But the output quality will be completely different with the system using sublimation paper. The color is vivid and rich, image is fully sublimated onto the substrate no matter what curved shape of substrate. There is one important factor is labor, film system spend much less labor as it sublimate the printed film directly onto the blanks but paper system need to manually print the image on the sublimation paper, then cut and wrap it on the case, it spend couple mintes to make one case. If you are just selling 10 cases a day, it will be fine, but if you are selling 50 cases a day, you will feel frustrating. Simple formulars, you get what you paid.
Conclusion: The cheap paper system seems an amateur toy if compare with film system, it cost more labor and high defective rate. Film system is the one you need to run long term personalized products business, no matter output quality or production efficiency.
3D Sublimation System Comparison
On the right hand side, you may compare the output quality difference between paper and film system. Image is printed on iPhone 5C.
3D Sublimation Oven (Film)
Film system is designed to take the shape of any object that it is adhered to and to sublimate any kind of image onto the surface of that object. Image is Vivid. Save labor and productive.
3D Sublimation Press (Paper)
Color output is little dull compare using film and can not make round corner style substrate. High defective rate and cost more labor.
3D Sublimation Oven (Film)
3D Sublimation Press (Paper)
- www.dyesublimationblanks.com/dye-sublimation-news/3d-subl...
Hedera helix / Common Ivy
Hedera helix, the common ivy, English ivy, European ivy, or just ivy, is a species of flowering plant of the ivy genus in the family Araliaceae, native to most of Europe and western Asia. A rampant, clinging evergreen vine, it is a familiar sight in gardens, waste spaces, and wild areas, where it grows on walls, fences, tree trunks, etc. across its native and introduced habitats. As a result of its hardy nature, and its tendency to grow readily without human assistance, ivy attained popularity as an ornamental plant, but escaped plants have become naturalised outside its native range and grow unchecked in myriad wild and cultivated areas. Ivy has considerable cultural significance and symbolism.
Synonyms include Hedera acuta, Hedera arborea ('tree ivy'),[2] Hedera baccifera, and Hedera grandifolia.[3] Other common names are bindwood and lovestone.
Etymology
The genus name Hedera is the Classical Latin word for 'ivy', which is cognate with Greek χανδάνω (khandánō) 'to get, grasp', both deriving ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- 'to seize, grasp, take'. The specific epithet helix derives from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (helix), 'helix', and from the Latin helicem, 'spiral', first used around 1600. The binomial in its entirety thus has the meaning "the clinging plant that coils in spirals (helices)".[4][5][6] The modern English ivy derives from Middle English ivi, from Old English īfiġ, deriving in turn from Proto-Germanic *ibahs. The meaning is uncertain, but the word may be cognate with the Ancient Greek ἴφυον (íphuon), referring to not Hedera helix, but the unrelated English lavender, or Lavandula angustifolia.[7]
Description
Hedera helix is an evergreen climbing plant, growing to 20–30 m (66–98 ft) high where suitable surfaces (trees, cliffs, walls) are available, and also growing as groundcover where no vertical surfaces occur. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets with matted pads which cling strongly to the substrate. The ability to climb on surfaces varies with the plants variety and other factors: Hedera helix prefers non-reflective, darker and rough surfaces with near-neutral pH. It generally thrives in a wide range of soil pH with 6.5 being ideal, prefers moist, shady locations and avoids exposure to direct sunlight, the latter promoting drying out in winter.[8]
The leaves are alternate, 50–100 mm (2–4 in) long, with a 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) petiole; they are of two types, with palmately five-lobed juvenile leaves on creeping and climbing stems, and unlobed cordate adult leaves on fertile flowering stems exposed to full sun, usually high in the crowns of trees or the top of rock faces.
The flowers are produced from late summer until late autumn, individually small, in 3-to-5 cm-diameter (1.2-to-2.0 in) umbels, greenish-yellow, and very rich in nectar, an important late autumn food source for bees and other insects.
The fruit are purple-black to orange-yellow berries 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) in diameter, ripening in late winter,[9] and are an important food source for many birds.
One to five seeds are in each berry, which are dispersed after being eaten by birds.[10][11][12]
Subspecies
The three subspecies are:[10][13]
H. h. helix[14] - central, northern and western Europe, plants without rhizomes, purple-black ripe fruit,
H. h. poetarum Nyman (syn. Hedera chrysocarpa Walsh) (Italian ivy, poet's ivy) - southeast Europe and southwest Asia (Italy, Balkans, Turkey), plants without rhizomes, orange-yellow ripe fruit,
H. h. rhizomatifera McAllister - southeast Spain, plants rhizomatous, purple-black ripe fruit.
The closely related species Hedera canariensis and Hedera hibernica are also often treated as subspecies of H. helix,[12][15] though they differ in chromosome number and so do not hybridise readily.[11] H. helix can be best distinguished by the shape and colour of its leaf trichomes, usually smaller and slightly more deeply lobed leaves and somewhat less vigorous growth, though identification is often not easy.[12][16]
Range
The range of European ivy is from Ireland northeast to southern Scandinavia, south to Portugal, and east to Ukraine and Iran and northern Turkey. In Britain, it is very common and widespread, but absent from the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.[17]
The northern and eastern limits are at about the −2 °C (28 °F) winter isotherm, while to the west and southwest, it is replaced by other species of ivy.[10][11][12][13][15][18] Hedera helix itself is much more winter-hardy and survives temperatures of −23.3 °C (−9.9 °F) (USDA Zone 6a) and above.[19]
Cultivation
Ivy is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. Within its native range, the species is greatly valued for attracting wildlife. The flowers are visited by over 70 species of nectar-feeding insects, and the berries eaten by at least 16 species of birds. The foliage provides dense evergreen shelter, and is also browsed by deer.[10][20]
In Europe, it is frequently planted to cover walls[21] and the Bavarian government recommends growing it on buildings for its ability to cool the interior in summer, while providing insulation in winter, as well as protecting the covered building from soil moisture, temperature fluctuations and direct exposure to heavy weather.[22] Further uses include weed suppression in plantings, beautifying unsightly facades and providing additional green by growing on tree trunks.
However, ivy can be problematic. It is a fast-growing, self-clinging climber that is capable of causing damage to brickwork, guttering, etc., and hiding potentially serious structural faults, as well as harbouring unwelcome pests. Careful planning and placement are essential.[23]
"Bouillon Kub"
Original Painting by Cara Buchalter of Octavine Illustration
Painted in gouache on Plywerk, a hand-crafted substrate wood board handmade in Portland, Oregon.
For more information on this painting and to see my processes and inspirations, please visit my blog:
www.octavineillustration.blogspot.com
My mother is an excellent cook. She can make just about anything from Moroccan tagine to traditional pot roast. And she can cook for the masses, catering my entire wedding, my cousin's wedding and both mine and my sis's Bat Mitzvahs. Absolutely none of this talent was passed on to me. Or maybe it was but never fully realized as I hate to cook.
I like the idea of pleasing my friends, exacting their love and admiration through gastronomy; but I loathe the notion of spending time creating these pleasures. Food is temporary. Hours spent, adding a pinch of this, a spoonful of that, seem wasted on transience.
Please do not get me wrong. I love cooks. I love food. I love home cooking. I am fortunate to reap the benefits of those whose creativity is ignited by food, whom are impassioned by the combination of spices, the grouping of flavors.
My art, however, is born out of a yearning for permanence. I screen print my images so they will last for centuries to come rather than using a computer to lifelessly copy my work. I hand-paint my cards so they are kept; records of a time and place serving as personal histories. The notion that what I create may last lifetimes excites me and serves to motivate.
But a good meal is remembered. I will never forget the calamari in Turkey or the steak in Belgium or my mother's homemade grapeleaves. And that recollection I pass on to others, as I do now. Thus cooking is not momentary, rather the memory intangible.
Thus I present Bouillon Kub (my homage, painted in gouache on wood, to the original bouillon cube packaging in France circa 1920 and, from what I understand, still used today) to all the amazing cooks out there. May your food be forever remembered.
©2008 Cara Buchalter. Please don't take and use the images without permission, thanks.
The image shows an electric-transport device floating above a Silicon substrate. A thin lamella, cut from a single crystal of a heavy fermion superconductor was mircrostructured by the use of focused ion beams. It is anchored in an insulating polymer covered with Gold providing conductive paths. Our aim is to study the resistivity of exotic single-crystalline materials on the micron and sub-micron scale without any strain induced from the substrate.
Courtesy of Dr. Toni Helm , Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids
Image Details
Instrument used: Helios NanoLab
Magnification: 2,500x
Horizontal Field Width: 160 um
Vacuum: 4e-5 mbar
Voltage: 10.0 kV
Spot: 0.17 nA
Working Distance: 4.1 mm
Detector: ETD
I'm a big fan of the various species of the so called "ant plants"; plants which have developed symbiotic relationships with ants. In some species (such as the Myrmecodias and Hydnophytums) the plants produce highly modified stems which naturally develop hollow internal chambers which provide living spaces for ant colonies. The ants in turn benefit the plants by protecting their host from insect pests and providing nutrients derived from decomposing detritus from the ant colony. In addition to the previous examples there are a few members of the greater milkweed family which produce modified leaves which also provide sheltered sites for ants to establish their colonies. Some species, such as Dischidia pectinoides and D. major produce modified pouch-like leaves which serve as nesting sites. Other species produce large leaves which provide shallow, dome-like enclosures between the leaf and the substrate which can serve as a living site for ant colonies.
Hoya imbricata is one particularly attractive example of this last type of plant. It is an epiphytic plant with long, thin climbing stems which cling to tree trunks and branches, and bear very large succulent, plate-like leaves (reputedly measuring from about 2 inches, to nearly 10 inches in diameter in some varieties), which clasp the vertical surfaces upon which they grow. These leaves typically grow rather close together, slightly overlapping one another like roofing shingles or fish scales (the specific epithet "imbricata" alludes to this similarity to roofing tiles). Ants colonize the spaces beneath these leaves, often using adjacent leaves to serve as "nurseries", food storage and other specialized rooms or chambers for the ant colony. The spaces beneath the overlapping leaves may also serve as a protected highway, by which ants can travel from the ground to the upper branches of forest trees. This Hoya produces roots all along the length of the stems - those which are located just beneath the leaves will absorb nutrients from the detritus from the ant colony - providing the plant with a significant portion of its fertilization. The plant may also absorb a significant percentage of the carbon dioxide exhaled by the ants - providing the plant with vital carbon necessary in the production of sugars, proteins, and lipids.
Mature plants can grow many yards in length, and will branch and re-branch to produce intricate networks giving its host tree the appearance of being covered with shingles, or giant fish scales.
There are a number of varieties of this species in the wild, but the specific traits which distinguish the different varieties are not entirely clear to me - nor have I been able to find a listing of all of the recognized varieties in my research. Some varieties have closely spaced leaves which overlap, blanketing the trunks upon which they grow, while at least one variety is said to have long internodes with more widely spaced (non-overlapping) leaves. Most have comparatively small leaves (2 to 5 inches in diameter), while at least one variety produces leaves to about 10 inches across. In some, the leaves are of a uniform green coloration, but in others, the leaves are a dark green and are attractively marbled in pale greenish/grey tones. The leaf undersides of all varieties bear magenta to purplish pigments - which in many other plant species, is usually an adaptation to lower light levels - the purplish undersides to the leaf act as an accessory pigment to chlorophyll, which enables the plant to make use of additional wavelengths of light.
The flowers are produced in loose dangling umbels, which in my plant, measured to about 2 inches across. Larger, more mature plants will probably produce larger umbels with more flowers than this. The flowers are quite attractive, bearing "furry" greenish/cream colored petals. Other portions of the flower are of the same coloration, but are glossy and polished looking, earning them the common name for the genus, "Wax Flowers". While the flowers of other Hoya species can be highly fragrant, to my nose, the scent of this species is extremely faint: it is slightly sweet, with a trace of a musty under-tone. My plant has only flowered once: I am uncertain what combination of cooler temperatures, reduced light intensity, shorter daylight hours and less humid conditions may have helped initiate the formation of flower buds, but my plant flowered in November, about 2 months after I brought it indoors for the winter.
Hoya imbricata is not the easiest plant to maintain under typical household conditions. In my 19 months of growing this plant, I have struggled to discover which conditions best suits it: in summer, my plant usually produces a modest flush of growth, but it remains dormant through much of the other 9 months. It responds well to the increased light levels and higher temperatures of summer, especially when I move it into my unheated greenhouse in late spring. This species requires warm temperatures, bright but diffuse light, and quite humid conditions. Without high humidity, my plant languishes in a sort of persistent dormancy, and in winter, it has the tendency to loose moisture from its leaves and abort roots and young stems until humid conditions are restored. It is only when humidity exceeds about 60% that my plant even begins to show signs of growth: at levels closer to 90%, it seems to produce its most rapid growth. I am presently growing cuttings in a sealed 2 liter soda bottle with a soil-less mixture of peat moss and vermiculite watered with a weak solution of Miracle Gro fertilizer. This terrarium is kept just below two 40-watt fluorescent lights (the bulbs actually resting on the surface of the bottle). Because of the proximity of the lights, the temperature inside of the terrarium can rise to as much as 95 degrees Fahrenheit by day. At night (when the lights are off), temperatures typically fall to about 72 degrees. Conditions are very moist, so the sides of the container are perpetually drenched in condensation. This combination of warmth and moisture would rot practically any other plant, but my plant seems to thrive under these conditions, quickly responding with renewed, vigorous growth. After just a few weeks, one small cutting has produced 4 new stems, and the beginnings of at least 2 new leaves. Following this initial success, I started another cutting (a single leaf with several branching stems) under similar conditions. This cutting had been dormant for nearly one year - but within one week of this treatment, I observed the initiation of new growth at two nodes - probably the beginnings of two new vines; about a week later, it is producing the beginnings of new roots. Larger plants can be grown in a sort of mini greenhouse - I am growing my "main" plant horizontally in a long plastic storage container (the type designed for under-the-bed storage) with a pane of glass placed over the top to provide a more or less sealed environment (to ensure high humidity levels). I place fluorescent tubes on top of this (with the tubes resting just a few inches above the plant), and maintain light for approximately 14 hours a day. Even though I grow my plants on the basement floor (the coolest location in the house), temperatures inside of this container will rise to approximately 80 degrees by day, and cools to about 68 degrees at night (conditions which are probably a bit cooler than optimum). It would probably be best to place a 1 inch layer of very moist blend of Vermiculite/Perlite on the bottom of the container to provide adequate humidity, but any moisture retentive medium (such as peat-moss, or sterilized potting soil) will do.
In spite of the purple/magenta pigments on the underside of its leaves, (which is usually an adaptation to low light levels), Hoya imbricata seems to thrive when provided with bright but indirect light. When grown outdoors, bright dapple shade is probably best, but indoors, plants should be maintained just a few inches beneath fluorescent lights. Extended exposure to direct sunlight will tend to bleach and scorch its leaves.
Hoya imbricata requires a good support and a more or less solid surface upon which to grow in order to assure typical growth, otherwise the leaves of unsupported vines tend to roll in upon themselves (imagine a paper plate rolled into a cylinder). Cork-bark slabs, osmunda fiber slabs and posts, even long sections of logs and thick tree branches are good supports. For my own plant, I take two sections of black plastic mesh "gutter guards", and sew these along their sides and bottom to produce a long "sock". I fill this with an orchid potting mix consisting mostly of chipped coconut husk and cork bark. This mix retains moisture much better than cork-bark slabs, and may provide more humid conditions under the leaves than cork slab would alone. This support is rigid enough for the leaves to "clasp" normally, although I have found that it is best to wire new growth against it to assure good contact with the growing medium, at least until roots become established enough to hold the new leaves in place.
As with all Hoyas, this species requires warm temperatures to thrive: 80 to 90 degrees seems to be best, although it will tolerate higher temperatures than this: Extended periods of cooler temperatures (68 to 52 degrees) will tend to send plants into dormancy, and freezing temperatures will practically kill it instantly. While I have not tested its ultimate tolerances to cold, it will likely die if exposed to temperature in the 40's for any more than a few days, so if you do move your plants outdoors in summer, be prepared to bring it back indoors at the first predictions of cool weather.
It seems that only a few conservatories, and dedicated hobbyists grow Hoya imbricata here in the United States. Exceedingly few nurseries stock any of the varieties of this species, so it may sometimes be easier to acquire cuttings from other growers than it is to find in trade. My plant (Hoya imbricata var. basirotunda), for example, was originally acquired as cuttings generously provided by Myron Kimnach. The scarcity of this species in the trade is unfortunate, as this is an exceptionally interesting, and (in my humble opinion) one of the most attractive Hoya species that I know of. Perhaps its reputation as an "ant plant" works against it. While plants which are grown outdoors in the tropics and subtropics may sometimes become colonized by ants, it has been my experience that plants grown in more temperate climates do not attract ants, and can be grown without the presence of ants without ill effects. In nature such symbiotic relationships tend to be fairly specific, and usually involve a relatively few ant species; most ant species from northern latitudes would not colonize this plant. Grown indoors, particularly when grown in a more or less sealed environment, the chances of ants colonizing this species are virtually nil.
The specialized growing needs of Hoya imbricata will probably forever relegate this plant to dedicated growers only, particularly those from non-tropical climates. But for those growers who are not daunted by the challenges of providing year-round warm temperatures, high humidity and bright light, this species may very well be the plant for you. Its distinctive growth habit, attractive foliage (particularly those varieties with attractively marbled leaves), attractive "furry" flowers, and its fascinating adaptations to live symbiotically with ants will make it a standout in any collection. And it is unquestionably the most attractive "ant plant" which I have ever grown.
I'm a big fan of the various species of the so called "ant plants"; plants which have developed symbiotic relationships with ants. In some species (such as the Myrmecodias and Hydnophytums) the plants produce highly modified stems which naturally develop hollow internal chambers which provide living spaces for ant colonies. The ants in turn benefit the plants by protecting their host from insect pests and providing nutrients derived from decomposing detritus from the ant colony. In addition to the previous examples there are a few members of the greater milkweed family which produce modified leaves which also provide sheltered sites for ants to establish their colonies. Some species, such as Dischidia pectinoides and D. major produce modified pouch-like leaves which serve as nesting sites. Other species produce large leaves which provide shallow, dome-like enclosures between the leaf and the substrate which can serve as a living site for ant colonies.
Hoya imbricata is one particularly attractive example of this last type of plant. It is an epiphytic plant with long, thin climbing stems which cling to tree trunks and branches, and bear very large succulent, plate-like leaves (reputedly measuring from about 2 inches, to nearly 10 inches in diameter in some varieties), which clasp the vertical surfaces upon which they grow. These leaves typically grow rather close together, slightly overlapping one another like roofing shingles or fish scales (the specific epithet "imbricata" alludes to this similarity to roofing tiles). Ants colonize the spaces beneath these leaves, often using adjacent leaves to serve as "nurseries", food storage and other specialized rooms or chambers for the ant colony. The spaces beneath the overlapping leaves may also serve as a protected highway, by which ants can travel from the ground to the upper branches of forest trees. This Hoya produces roots all along the length of the stems - those which are located just beneath the leaves will absorb nutrients from the detritus from the ant colony - providing the plant with a significant portion of its fertilization. The plant may also absorb a significant percentage of the carbon dioxide exhaled by the ants - providing the plant with vital carbon necessary in the production of sugars, proteins, and lipids.
Mature plants can grow many yards in length, and will branch and re-branch to produce intricate networks giving its host tree the appearance of being covered with shingles, or giant fish scales.
There are a number of varieties of this species in the wild, but the specific traits which distinguish the different varieties are not entirely clear to me - nor have I been able to find a listing of all of the recognized varieties in my research. Some varieties have closely spaced leaves which overlap, blanketing the trunks upon which they grow, while at least one variety is said to have long internodes with more widely spaced (non-overlapping) leaves. Most have comparatively small leaves (2 to 5 inches in diameter), while at least one variety produces leaves to about 10 inches across. In some, the leaves are of a uniform green coloration, but in others, the leaves are a dark green and are attractively marbled in pale greenish/grey tones. The leaf undersides of all varieties bear magenta to purplish pigments - which in many other plant species, is usually an adaptation to lower light levels - the purplish undersides to the leaf act as an accessory pigment to chlorophyll, which enables the plant to make use of additional wavelengths of light.
The flowers are produced in loose dangling umbels, which in my plant, measured to about 2 inches across. Larger, more mature plants will probably produce larger umbels with more flowers than this. The flowers are quite attractive, bearing "furry" greenish/cream colored petals. Other portions of the flower are of the same coloration, but are glossy and polished looking, earning them the common name for the genus, "Wax Flowers". While the flowers of other Hoya species can be highly fragrant, to my nose, the scent of this species is extremely faint: it is slightly sweet, with a trace of a musty under-tone. My plant has only flowered once: I am uncertain what combination of cooler temperatures, reduced light intensity, shorter daylight hours and less humid conditions may have helped initiate the formation of flower buds, but my plant flowered in November, about 2 months after I brought it indoors for the winter.
Hoya imbricata is not the easiest plant to maintain under typical household conditions. In my 19 months of growing this plant, I have struggled to discover which conditions best suits it: in summer, my plant usually produces a modest flush of growth, but it remains dormant through much of the other 9 months. It responds well to the increased light levels and higher temperatures of summer, especially when I move it into my unheated greenhouse in late spring. This species requires warm temperatures, bright but diffuse light, and quite humid conditions. Without high humidity, my plant languishes in a sort of persistent dormancy, and in winter, it has the tendency to loose moisture from its leaves and abort roots and young stems until humid conditions are restored. It is only when humidity exceeds about 60% that my plant even begins to show signs of growth: at levels closer to 90%, it seems to produce its most rapid growth. I am presently growing cuttings in a sealed 2 liter soda bottle with a soil-less mixture of peat moss and vermiculite watered with a weak solution of Miracle Gro fertilizer. This terrarium is kept just below two 40-watt fluorescent lights (the bulbs actually resting on the surface of the bottle). Because of the proximity of the lights, the temperature inside of the terrarium can rise to as much as 95 degrees Fahrenheit by day. At night (when the lights are off), temperatures typically fall to about 72 degrees. Conditions are very moist, so the sides of the container are perpetually drenched in condensation. This combination of warmth and moisture would rot practically any other plant, but my plant seems to thrive under these conditions, quickly responding with renewed, vigorous growth. After just a few weeks, one small cutting has produced 4 new stems, and the beginnings of at least 2 new leaves. Following this initial success, I started another cutting (a single leaf with several branching stems) under similar conditions. This cutting had been dormant for nearly one year - but within one week of this treatment, I observed the initiation of new growth at two nodes - probably the beginnings of two new vines; about a week later, it is producing the beginnings of new roots. Larger plants can be grown in a sort of mini greenhouse - I am growing my "main" plant horizontally in a long plastic storage container (the type designed for under-the-bed storage) with a pane of glass placed over the top to provide a more or less sealed environment (to ensure high humidity levels). I place fluorescent tubes on top of this (with the tubes resting just a few inches above the plant), and maintain light for approximately 14 hours a day. Even though I grow my plants on the basement floor (the coolest location in the house), temperatures inside of this container will rise to approximately 80 degrees by day, and cools to about 68 degrees at night (conditions which are probably a bit cooler than optimum). It would probably be best to place a 1 inch layer of very moist blend of Vermiculite/Perlite on the bottom of the container to provide adequate humidity, but any moisture retentive medium (such as peat-moss, or sterilized potting soil) will do.
In spite of the purple/magenta pigments on the underside of its leaves, (which is usually an adaptation to low light levels), Hoya imbricata seems to thrive when provided with bright but indirect light. When grown outdoors, bright dapple shade is probably best, but indoors, plants should be maintained just a few inches beneath fluorescent lights. Extended exposure to direct sunlight will tend to bleach and scorch its leaves.
Hoya imbricata requires a good support and a more or less solid surface upon which to grow in order to assure typical growth, otherwise the leaves of unsupported vines tend to roll in upon themselves (imagine a paper plate rolled into a cylinder). Cork-bark slabs, osmunda fiber slabs and posts, even long sections of logs and thick tree branches are good supports. For my own plant, I take two sections of black plastic mesh "gutter guards", and sew these along their sides and bottom to produce a long "sock". I fill this with an orchid potting mix consisting mostly of chipped coconut husk and cork bark. This mix retains moisture much better than cork-bark slabs, and may provide more humid conditions under the leaves than cork slab would alone. This support is rigid enough for the leaves to "clasp" normally, although I have found that it is best to wire new growth against it to assure good contact with the growing medium, at least until roots become established enough to hold the new leaves in place.
As with all Hoyas, this species requires warm temperatures to thrive: 80 to 90 degrees seems to be best, although it will tolerate higher temperatures than this: Extended periods of cooler temperatures (68 to 52 degrees) will tend to send plants into dormancy, and freezing temperatures will practically kill it instantly. While I have not tested its ultimate tolerances to cold, it will likely die if exposed to temperature in the 40's for any more than a few days, so if you do move your plants outdoors in summer, be prepared to bring it back indoors at the first predictions of cool weather.
It seems that only a few conservatories, and dedicated hobbyists grow Hoya imbricata here in the United States. Exceedingly few nurseries stock any of the varieties of this species, so it may sometimes be easier to acquire cuttings from other growers than it is to find in trade. My plant (Hoya imbricata var. basirotunda), for example, was originally acquired as cuttings generously provided by Myron Kimnach. The scarcity of this species in the trade is unfortunate, as this is an exceptionally interesting, and (in my humble opinion) one of the most attractive Hoya species that I know of. Perhaps its reputation as an "ant plant" works against it. While plants which are grown outdoors in the tropics and subtropics may sometimes become colonized by ants, it has been my experience that plants grown in more temperate climates do not attract ants, and can be grown without the presence of ants without ill effects. In nature such symbiotic relationships tend to be fairly specific, and usually involve a relatively few ant species; most ant species from northern latitudes would not colonize this plant. Grown indoors, particularly when grown in a more or less sealed environment, the chances of ants colonizing this species are virtually nil.
The specialized growing needs of Hoya imbricata will probably forever relegate this plant to dedicated growers only, particularly those from non-tropical climates. But for those growers who are not daunted by the challenges of providing year-round warm temperatures, high humidity and bright light, this species may very well be the plant for you. Its distinctive growth habit, attractive foliage (particularly those varieties with attractively marbled leaves), attractive "furry" flowers, and its fascinating adaptations to live symbiotically with ants will make it a standout in any collection. And it is unquestionably the most attractive "ant plant" which I have ever grown.