Care guides for ant plants (Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia), the tropical epiphytes with a hollow, chambered caudex.
Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia grow on trees in the wild, and they can be grown on cork or wood at home. Here is what botanical papers, botanic gardens and specialist nurseries say about mounting them, and where they disagree.
A detailed watering guide for Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia ant plants: how to tell when the mix is ready, how to water around the tuber, and how pots, mounts and winter change the routine.
A species-by-species buyer’s guide to the ant plants most often sold, from Hydnophytum formicarum to Myrmecodia beccarii, with tips on telling the two genera apart.
How to read the swollen tuber of Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia, from normal holes, chambers and roots to soft rot, shriveling and cracks, with what each source says to do.
Ant plants such as Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia grow normal, chambered tubers without ants, so here is what the ants do in the wild and why your plant does not need them.
A step-by-step guide to growing Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia from fresh ant plant seeds, from cleaning the berries to the first hollow chamber inside the young tuber.
A practical guide to ant plant care: how Hydnophytum and Myrmecodia differ, how to water around the caudex, the right mix, light, warmth, humidity, and why you do not need ants.