upper & lower pitchers

[whispersiren]

On a certain site involving bidding (ehem), i noticed someone auctioning (nice) cuttings of (some) mature plants and some with upper pitchers. I was wondering, will those plants ever form lower ones too a some point? I guess I don't really understand why most plants form two different kinds. I assumed it was stages of development but in seeing pictures of plants in the wild they have both. So what's the deal? Plus, in the wilds they don't normally get chopped up and replanted... so hence my question about the ability of the plant to grow lower pictures.... babble babble...

-Lia

[Pyro]

Whispersiren (or do you prefer Lia?)

Usually cutting taken from a growth point growing upper pitchers will continue to produce upper pitchers. In most cases this matters little as it is the uppers that are the more impressive. If you want lower pitchers you can still get them, it is just a matter of growing the plant for a while. As time goes by basal shoots will crop up and these will go through the full cycle of lower pitchers followed by upper pitchers. (Does that make any sense?)

Pyro

[Gafoto]

yes on some plants like lowii the upper pitchers beat the lowers hands down but like on Bicalcarata and Raff's along with Ampullaria the lower pitchers are larger and more impressive. :biggrin: