# Ant Plants (Myrmecophytes)



## Endagr8

Insectivorous plants have gotten a good bit of attention around here, but what about the plants that share mutualistic relationships with our beloved spineless wonders, particularly ants?

From Wikipedia, describing the relationship of _Hydnophytum_ and _Myrmecodia_ species to ants:
"Ant plants provide habitats for ant colonies high up into the forest canopy, protecting them from the elements and also predators because of the spines. Hollow, smooth-walled tunnels form within the caudex with external entrance holes, providing an above-ground home for ant colonies. Ants likewise provide defense for the plant and prevent tissue damage, swarming to defend their home if disturbed. Ant colonies also provide nutrients to the plants by leaving wastes within the tunnels inside the caudex. Special glands lining the tunnels then absorb nutrients for the plant. This symbiosis allows the plants to effectively gather nutrients (via the ants) from a much larger area than the roots ever could cover."

Here's a couple of the plants I grow. They're not too impressive yet; in fact, not a single gallery opening is visible yet. But with some time and patience, they'll surely be spectacular. Young _Hydnophytum formicarium_ (left foreground) and _Hydnophytum simplex_ (center foreground) I purchased from ebay a few weeks ago:





_Myrmecodia tuberosa_:






I'm also growing a _H. formicarium_ from seed, another _H. simplex_, and _H. mosleyanum_.

Post yours! I'd love to see some plants from other genera! And in situ pictures would be great! :biggrin:


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## moose35

neat stuff. i've wanted to pick 1 of these up.

now it looks like i have to.


moose


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## pavel

Never grown any of these myself, but have known a couple folks who did.  For what it's worth, those individuals said they found the plants did better in a basket than potted for them.  Just a thought.


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## Endagr8

moose35 said:


> neat stuff. i've wanted to pick 1 of these up.
> 
> now it looks like i have to.
> 
> 
> moose


Do it! One of these would look awesome in your frog viv! :smile:



pavel said:


> Never grown any of these myself, but have known a couple folks who did.  For what it's worth, those individuals said they found the plants did better in a basket than potted for them.  Just a thought.


You're absolutely right. Epiphytes like these do well in well-drained soil mixes and/or net pots. I guess the seller I ordered them from has perfected his watering regimen. But I have a tendency to overwater, so I'll be switching them over to baskets soon enough. Thanks! :smile:


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## Malhavoc's

out of curiosity as a keeper of ants, do all ants like ot live in these? or is it a selective species interaction?


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## Endagr8

Malhavoc's said:


> out of curiosity as a keeper of ants, do all ants like ot live in these? or is it a selective species interaction?


In nature, I'm pretty sure it's selective. But in the confines of a terrarium, I'm sure it's possible to force some species to inhabit them. Cross-sectional shots of the galleries these plants grow look extremely similar to some of the plaster formicaria I've seen. At the National Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., I saw a few ants in proximity to their ant plants. I'm unsure if they actually inhabited the plants.


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## Malhavoc's

Im going to have to look into them, would be intresting if I could raise one of the plants in a terrarium and have the ants inhabit them. issue would be the ants prefering the soil.


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## Louise E. Rothstein

My draceanas seep honey whenever they flower. I did not know why until the year that ants got to the honey...and they pollinated the flowers:
The one year that ants climbed my flowering draceanas was the only year that their seeds were ever able to grow.


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## 1Lord Of Ants1

Where can you get these?


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## pavel

1Lord Of Ants1 said:


> Where can you get these?


You might try Gardino Nursery.  http://www.gardinonursery.com/  They have had them for sale before though I don't know if they still have any available.  

http://www.gardinonursery.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=1174


http://www.gardinonursery.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=387


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## Endagr8

1Lord Of Ants1 said:


> Where can you get these?


Ebay! I got mine from this guy. He lists stuff almost every week.


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## Galapoheros

I think it's got to be selective ant sps, somebody gave me a tiny one of these but it died, my bad, very interesting plant imo.


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## Malhavoc's

Galapoheros said:


> I think it's got to be selective ant sps, somebody gave me a tiny one of these but it died, my bad, very interesting plant imo.


 I think as most ants are opertunistic, you could potentialy get any species to move inside the plant, I a sure the plant offers secretions to make it even more worth while, as an ant keeper I think the hardest dificulty would be getting them to nest inside the plant and not in the culture bneath that contains the roots of the plant ( but as the medium seems to be moss and otherl ight things it seems easier. but I dont want to cross my fingers prematurly) I think it is more likely that any species you introduce to the ant has to be one that wont potentialy harm it (carpenter ants)


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## 1Lord Of Ants1

I can see these plants easily providing homes for a number of common species, like Tapinoma, Monomorium, Crematogaster, Pheidole, and Temnothorax. Since I haven't seen these caverns which these plants supossively have, I assume they aren't large, and will mostly provide homes for smaller ant species like the ones above. I might try introducing the two organisms in a terrarium later on, assuming I have bought the plant...I don't think it would be hard at all with my local species.


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## J Morningstar

http://www.blackjungleterrariumsupply.com/Rare-Unusual-Plants_c_59-3-0.html
I have bought carniviorous plants from here and the plants have always been top quality. They had 5 types of Ant plants at one time once...awesome looking.


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## Endagr8

1Lord Of Ants1 said:


> I can see these plants easily providing homes for a number of common species, like Tapinoma, Monomorium, Crematogaster, Pheidole, and Temnothorax. Since I haven't seen these caverns which these plants supossively have, I assume they aren't large, and will mostly provide homes for smaller ant species like the ones above. I might try introducing the two organisms in a terrarium later on, assuming I have bought the plant...I don't think it would be hard at all with my local species.


Eventually the galleries will get pretty large. I think I've got a few years before my plants are this size.

http://www.myrmecos.net/ants/Hydnophytum.JPG


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