N. rafflesiana gigantea:

[emilias_garden]

Hello Volker! Thanks for the pics and the link. I went to your site and your work is amazing. All your plants are breathtaking. Thank you for the advice with the watering. [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile.gif[/img]

These red rafflesiana are just amazing! WOW, i am in love with a new plant;0)

Thank you Volket!
Jorge Joel...
Emilia's Garden

[chesara]

Wow
A red raff that is very nice [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile.gif[/img]
Bye for now Julian

[Lam_wn]

Hi,
ok the raff is nice...about the pitchers lasting longer in shade, what do you understand by this, as in on other neps and such. So what is the average lifespan of each pitcher and what is the most you ever sustained on the plant at one time? and does that mean you plant all your neps in three-layered shade cloth light levels? Because that's very low! And is leaf growth affected?

And, just something extra, for rafflesiana, the smaller, common varieties grow better in strong sunlight whereas the giant forms grow in much shadier areas (squat red form i'm not too sure) inthe wild

I just received raff gigantea in april and ...same here! Not yet pitchering. Its in 70% shade now, growing fine, larger leaves etc, just not pitchering...I guess its the same problem!
Thanks

[emilias_garden]

Hello Guys!!!!

Julian, did you saw those red raff, aren't they beautiful? [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile_k_ani_32.gif[/img]

Lam_wn, so you are having the same situation with your gigantea. [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/confused.gif[/img]

As for what I have read and have been told I think that we will need to wait a little longer to see our plants producing pitchers. At least that is what I have been told.

But maybe there is a surprise in sooner time. Since I live in a tropical region my plants react faster than most Nepenthes in cultivation in cooler regions. *So I am expecting to have pitcher in my gingatea in less than 1 month. *[img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile_m_32.gif[/img]

Where are you growing yours? I mean, region, indoors, outdoors, humidity, etc.? [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smilie4.gif[/img]

Thanks guys!!!!! *[img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile_m_32.gif[/img]

[divaskid]

Quote[/b] ]You may say that they are a nuissance there, but here, on their endemic land, they are in the borderline of extinction, there are even some species of Coqui that have deseappeared. So the efforts of the scientists and the goverment is to rescue them from extinction.

Awww, thats sad. And to think they're just killing them here by the bucket loads. They should just send them back to you guys!

Quote[/b] ]I think that federal goverment should work in a project to take the most Coqui frogs they can in Hawaii and bring them back to PR. This way Coqui will not become extinct, but it will not be a pest.;0) What do you think?

I think thats an excellent idea. But I'm sure there's some kind of law prohibiting it in some way.

[emilias_garden]

Hey Michelle! But don't you think it would be better and more logical, you know take them from there and send them back here instead of killing them, after all they are native to here.

And even if any species of animal or palnt, any living creature, is a problem, the solution it is not exterminating it from the face of Earth, but control them and preserve them in a save way. This extermination of living creature has not logic or reason.

I think i am going to start a movement to bring back those little guys to were they belong;0)

[divaskid]

I do think it's the logical way to go about it. I wonder why they haven't done something like this yet.

And it is very sad to see them kill the frogs. I wish they wouldn't, but they have no where to put them at the moment. No excuse, of course.

Why exactly are they going extinct over there?

[emilias_garden]

Hello Michelle! It is sad, indeed, but as yo usay, it sem like there is no other solution, or else they would be doing something else than killing them.

I cannot imagine a night witout their songs... it would be very very sad to have night without them singing ko-ki, ko-ki (Coqui)...

Anyways... To answer your question they are almost exteinct here becuase of lost of their ecosystem. Most of the forests and wetlands have been desappeared here in order to build new cities, hotels, golf fields, and you know , things like that... So poor little frogs are paying the price. They and the rest of our native plants and animals, most of them have desappeared already. Sad, too sad...

[leucophylla]

Quote[/b] (Lam_wn @ June 21 2005,4:05)]Hi,
ok the raff is nice...about the pitchers lasting longer in shade, what do you understand by this, as in on other neps and such. So what is the average lifespan of each pitcher and what is the most you ever sustained on the plant at one time? and does that mean you plant all your neps in three-layered shade cloth light levels? Because that's very low! And is leaf growth affected?

And, just something extra, for rafflesiana, the smaller, common varieties grow better in strong sunlight whereas the giant forms grow in much shadier areas (squat red form i'm not too sure) inthe wild

I just received raff gigantea in april and ...same here! Not yet pitchering. Its in 70% shade now, growing fine, larger leaves etc, just not pitchering...I guess its the same problem!
Thanks

Hi Lam_wn

I got maybe 4 pitchers at once during rainy season when the sky is cloudy in the afternoon. Note: these plants are still quite young. I had to guess about the average pitcher life span, but the plants are growing fast.
The shade cloth might be a very mild one. It was not rated, but we have another nursery downtown that appears to be very shady with 3 layers.
I don't know where you are located, but it is quite common in our area to have the whole day bright sunshine with scorching heat. Even tomatoes seem to appreciate shade cloth!
More light was probably ok, if the humidity is higher.
Leaf pitcher ratio is very good, the leafs are small and narrow.
Basically I am happy, I just try to optimize things for the dry season.
Volker

[Lam_wn]

Quote[/b] (emilias_garden @ June 21 2005,12:31)]Hello Guys!!!!

Julian, did you saw those red raff, aren't they beautiful? [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile_k_ani_32.gif[/img]

Lam_wn, so you are having the same situation with your gigantea. [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/confused.gif[/img]

As for what I have read and have been told I think that we will need to wait a little longer to see our plants producing pitchers. At least that is what I have been told.

But maybe there is a surprise in sooner time. Since I live in a tropical region my plants react faster than most Nepenthes in cultivation in cooler regions. *So I am expecting to have pitcher in my gingatea in less than 1 month. *[img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile_m_32.gif[/img]

Where are you growing yours? I mean, region, indoors, outdoors, humidity, etc.? [img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smilie4.gif[/img]

Thanks guys!!!!! *[img]http://www.**********.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/new/smile_m_32.gif[/img]

Hi,
ok, I'm in Singapore, tropical also, its been reaching 3 months now, I bought my raff gigantea from Malesiana and it has produced 3 healthy new leaves, but no pitchers! all other plants I bought at the same time have been pitchering quite a bit... a little disappointed...
leucophylla,
wow, sounds like harsh conditions... I use 1 layer 70% but I dont have sprinklers or anything so yes, in dryer seasons, the humidity does get low during afternoons. I get quite scared because it can get to as low as 60%... Lately some plants developing burnt spots, I try to mist whenever I can, I guess they should get acclimitized right?
I would like to try the shadier approach but I only have 50% and 70% shade cloth...cant play around much, would 2 layers of 50% be too much?
Thanks