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Myrmecodia

Myrmecodia
Photo: Dysmorodrepanis, CC BY-SA 3.0

Myrmecodia is a genus of epiphytic ant-plants in the coffee family, grown in its natural range of Indochina, Malesia, Papuasia and Queensland. Its swollen, tuber-like base houses ants in return for protection and nutrients, and it is rarely grown as a houseplant.

Family
Rubiaceae (Coffee family)
Grows as
Epiphyte
Light
Bright indirect
Water
Keep the growing medium lightly moist and let the top dry slightly between waterings; mist or water the air roots and surrounding moss.
Soil
Epiphytic mix of bark chips, sphagnum moss or orchid mix, or mounted on a piece of wood or cork.
Temperature
20–30 °C; protect below 15 °C
How easy
Hard

About

Myrmecodia is a genus of epiphytic plants, present in Indochina, Malesia, Papuasia, and Queensland, Australia. It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being Anthorrhiza, Hydnophytum, Myrmephytum, and Squamellaria.

Myrmecophytes, or ant plants, live in a mutualistic association with a colony of ants. These plants possess structural adaptations that provide ants with food and/or shelter. Myrmecodia are also classified as epiphytes. The term epiphytic derives from the Greek epi- (meaning 'upon') and phyton (meaning 'plant'). Epiphytic plants are sometimes called "air plants" because they do not root in soil. An epiphyte is a plant that grows harmlessly upon another plant and derives its nutrition and water supply from the air and debris found in its immediate environment.

Other Myrmecodia plants

Myrmecodia tuberosa

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Myrmecodia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

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