New Exotic Plant Sightings | Shared Cultivation Experiences

Huang Shih-Jie has long been dedicated to ecological observation and photography, with a particular passion for beetles. Because of his interest in insects, Ah Jie began to truly understand plants. In search of his beloved rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles, for 20 years he has committed to memory every leaf shape, tree form, and bark texture he has visited, delving deeper into rainforests to catch a glimpse of legendary species and to see the graceful forms of plants from pictures in person. In 2006, he was reintroduced to the world of plant cultivation through staghorn ferns, and in 2019, he experimented again with different light conditions and environments to observe changes in the growth and appearance of staghorn ferns. The practical experience and indicators shared in this book are presented for the first time.

Huang Shih-Jie

Born in Taipei in 1973, Huang Shih-Jie never enjoyed school as a child and was more interested in nature observation. He only completed his compulsory education (highest degree: Datong Junior High School) before entering the job market. The year he was discharged from the military, a work-related accident led to the amputation of four fingers on his right hand, which became a turning point in his life. He returned to the ecological world he had always yearned for and diligently self-studied knowledge about wildlife and plants. In recent years, he has visited countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, and Australia, venturing deep into uninhabited tropical rainforests to photograph plants and animals in their natural habitats. He has served as an entomology consultant for the National Science Council's ecological films, an assistant for the National Science Council projects at National Taiwan University and Chiayi University, an ecological lecturer for "Taiwan Complete Record," and a lecturer and host for "Have Fun with Nature." He is currently the host of SET Television's "Up the Mountain, Down the Sea, Spend a Night," leading families into nature observation while focusing on natural ecological photography and writing. He is a columnist for the science section of the National Daily News and the Digital Island website of the Academia Sinica, as well as the author of the elementary school Chinese language textbook lesson "Madagascar, Let's Go!" He often shares his nature observation experiences on various social media platforms.

Publications include: "Hercules Beetle," "Insect Facebook," "Playing with Nature with Children," "The Private Life of Mantises," "A Home in the Forest," "Insects on the Menu," "Tyrant Beetle Encyclopedia," "Super Shocking Beetle King", "100 Common Insects of Hui-Sun Forest Farm" photography works, "Beetle Diary," "Stag Beetle Diary," "Beetle Diary 2," "Plant Diary," and "The Diary of Camouflaged Creatures"

1 The Starting Point
2 The Grand Botanical Garden
The largest flower by ground diameter: Rafflesia spp.
The most powerful single inflorescence on Earth: Amorphophallus titanium
Incredible size: Grammatophyllum speciosum
The world's smallest orchid
Legendary plant: Vanda lamellata
Ant-symbiotic plant: Hydnophytum moseleyanum
A plant that doesn't look like a frog: Dischidia major
Strange plant: Asarum spp.
Plants with temperamental routes: Phlegmariurus spp.
Gilded pitcher plant: Nepenthes veitchii
The largest pitcher plant: Nepenthes rajah
The legendary Holy Grail: Nepenthes platychila
Super positive plant with penis flower: Nepenthes bokorensis
If nutrition is lacking, eat insects: Drosera spatulata
Shiny insect catcher: Drosera indica
Forest palette: Beautiful Begonia spp.
Beautiful flowers and grand rewards: Impatiens spp.
Captivating posture and charm: Platycerium spp.
Water-retaining plants that can't be kept

3 Plant Multiplication Plan
Artificial seeding
Leaf cuttings
Cutting
Division

4 Balcony or Rooftop Garden
How can balcony dwellers simply transform their balconies to grow plants?
Clothes racks: Easy to move
Custom flower shed: Can be planned according to balcony size
Plant bed boards: Can hold many plants
Too much sunlight: Install shading nets
Insufficient sunlight: Choice of artificial light sources
Too windy: Use transparent plastic cloth
Too stuffy: Fans
Methods to increase humidity: Many plants, add more water trays

5 Indoor Cultivation
Home propagation room
Dome, bagging plant acclimation process
High-light cultivation
Small plant ecological tanks
Nutrient supplement experience

6 Experience with Various Media
Overview
Snakewood
Bark chunks
Moss
Seedling moss
Peat soil
Coconut fiber blocks
Akadama
Crushed charcoal blocks

7 Importing Plants: A Few Things
Starting the path of importing plants
Importing orchids from the Philippines
Returning to importing plants after a break

8 Where to Find Plants?
Fern Rare Garden (Taipei)
North Taiwan University Orchid Garden (Taoyuan)
Jungle Berry (Taoyuan)
The method of finding plants
Fern is easy to grow (Beidou)
Parrot power to fern (Xin She)
Fern Valley (Chiayi)
Taijiang Orchid Garden (Tainan)
Fern is deer fans (Tainan)
Fern wants to buy (Tainan)
Taiwan's first plant exhibition
Rainforest fern feast

Postscript

References