# New C. cordata grabowski pics



## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

Hey folks,
The last pics I have of these are from 2004; here's an update.

Charlie Drew's "Giant Red Crypt"

Richard Sexton

Note: the id is fairly tentative. They've not flowered so far.


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Hello Richard,

Great to hear again from you! BTW, any chances to revive the crypt ML?

Back to the grand crypt! 
I don't think this is any grabowskii-like crypt from Borneo; at least I don't think it's the Matang plant originally described as grandis. Especially those deep red undersides don't vibe with what I know of this crypt (in nature and in cultivation).

BTW, are the leaves somewhat robust or rather flaccid?

Is this a tapwater tank? That would be an amazing feat to keep it going for half a century!

However, due to the plasticity of crypts to environmental conditions, this is still mere speculation - we need it flowering! I'd suggest you send a runner to Chris so we don't have to wait another 50 years or so...


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## rs79 (Dec 7, 2004)

Hello Kai;
Nice seeing you here.

The crypts ML is indeed being worked on and should be up one of these days soon.

The identity of this plant is certainly in question. All we know is the locality data from Shirly's aquatics and that it came from Borneo. The leaves are fairly flaccid - I guess. At least they seem that way to me.

Yeah this is a tapwater tank. Charlie, like Diana Walstead is a follower of Doroty "Ma" Reimer and uses simply manure under builders sand. The sand itself contains tons of magnatic particles and despite warnings not to use this it seems to not bother the fish or plants. Every 10 years or so the substrate has to be renewed. Other than feed the fish and change water Charlie does nothing to the tank - that is he adds no fertilizer whatsoever.

Annoying isn't it? In an era of fertilizer solutions and welding tanks hooked up to fishtanks here is a guy who uses sh1t and sand and outdoes the best of us, growing plants that according to the Crypts Pages does not do well in cultivation. Somebody forgot to tell Charlie's plants about leaf mould.

I'm in the middle of moving and building a house so it may be a year before I'm geared up with fishtanks again, plus it's mightly cold in the neo-arctic wasteland where I live. But in the spring we'll have to do something about getting these plants spread around and flowered. As far as I know Charlie has never tried to grow them emersed or done the piece of apple trick and I so am eager to see a bloom.

Best regards,
Richard Sexton
[email protected]


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## kevin120477 (Nov 20, 2007)

Here is my C. cordata var. grabowskii from Batibati. I grew it from 2007.07.15, there is a baby on the right.


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