Odds and Ends

[Cindy]

My first N. northiana pitcher! I have never been more proud of any other pitcher than this very ordinary-looking juvenile one. Well, perhaps this species can be taken off the "difficult-to-grow" list.

This N. rafflesiana 'alata' is growing in pure perlite with tap water. It was a cutting left to root but it produced a pitcher! The colour isn't that great yet but I think this is not too bad for a plant grown in such a manner. It is now producing its second pitcher and I am wondering whether I should pot it up soon.

N. x hookeriana - This plant produces pitchers with bright red peristome which later turns into reddish black. I also like its flat tendril.

The latest pitcher

The previous pitcher

 

[Chaddycakez]

They are gorgeous. What are the conditions in which they grow?


*Keep up the good work! <3

 

[jimscott]

Great looking plants, Cindy!

 

[geckoman]

Great plants!
I second, what are you growing conditions?

 

[Cindy]

They are all grown under T5 lights at my balcony. Humidity is about 50%-70% and temperature is 77F-90F. Very hot, typical lowland conditions.

 

[xvart]

Thanks for sharing, Cindy. Do you normally root Nepenthes in solid perlite? Or was this just one of those things?

xvart.

 

[Nepenthes]

Very nice Cindy. Beautiful plants as usual. I always enjoy seeing plants from your neck of the woods. .

Daniel

 

[Capensis]

Zomg, They're beautiful! *steals them* jk

Anyways, I don't think you should pot it up if it's pitchering beautifully in just perlite.

 

[Cindy]

xvart, I root my rare/uncommon/cranky/stubborn plants in perlite. The rest are rooted in tap water. I have got very good success rate with the latter but I just don't want to risk even 1% chance of rot.

Capensis, I'll have to pot up the raff sooner or later. It is going to need some organic media if it has to reach its full potential. I was told that the pitchers are going to be very dark, like the peristome of the hookeriana I showed.

 

[D_muscipula]

NOOO wait a bit on the raff nepenthes don't get their nutrients from the soil and a nepenthes cutting can produce leaves and pitchers before it roots and often it then gets dug up and the root formation is disturbed. I would wait until it forms a couple more leaves or another pitcher... just wait a bit longer
Does tap water help them root or do you just have no distilled or RO?

 

[xvart]

Thanks for the response, Cindy. I'll have to keep that in mind. You say you water everyday with pure perlite? I guess I didn't realize the perlite has any water retention capabilities (or very little...), which would suggest the watering everyday (duh!).

NOOO wait a bit on the raff nepenthes don't get their nutrients from the soil and a nepenthes cutting can produce leaves and pitchers before it roots and often it then gets dug up and the root formation is disturbed. I would wait until it forms a couple more leaves or another pitcher... just wait a bit longer

I'm pretty sure Cindy knows what she's doing...

xvart.

 

[Cindy]

D_muscipula, Neps do need nutrients from the media don't they? I have no idea if it works the same with distilled water but my tap water is relatively soft and safe for use on most CPs.

xvart, I don't water every day because the humidity here is quite high year round. I allow the water level in the container (transparent so that I can monitor it) to drop completely before I top up. I wouldn't advise just anyone to do the same especially if the ambient humidity is much lower. Dropping the water level brings in new supply of air and that encourages the formation of roots. I find that cuttings that root in perlite transplant much better than those rooted in water. I do lose 1-2 cuttings from water to media, either that or they take a longer time to start growing or pitchering.

 

[Cindy]

More pics.

N. veitchii (I think this is a pure veitchii and not the hybrid with hurrelliana)

N. truncata

N. x kuchingensis

N. bicalcarata x ampullaria

]

N. x bauensis

N. truncata x mira

N. rafflesiana var. nivea - a fav of mine, no speckling at all on the pitcher body

N. x ventrata

 

[obregon562]

damn! nice plants! even your ventrata looks great!!!

 

[schloaty]

NOOO wait a bit on the raff nepenthes don't get their nutrients from the soil and a nepenthes cutting can produce leaves and pitchers before it roots and often it then gets dug up and the root formation is disturbed. I would wait until it forms a couple more leaves or another pitcher... just wait a bit longer

Balogna. Ever seen a nep get a HUGE growth burst from slow release fertilizer (in the soil) like osmacote? I have. They certainly take in some nutrients from the soil, just not to the same extant as regular plants.

Cindy, those pics are AWESOME!

I love the pic with the truncata - it like he's the lord of his domain, towering over all the "little people."

 

[JB_OrchidGuy]

Awesome looking plants Cindy! I love the raff too! But they all look great. I wish my ventrata looked like yours. I think it is time to change my mix. Been doing alot of reading about that lately. thanks for sharing.

 

[larry]

I love your rafflesianas, they're so tubby and cute. The perfect proportions!

 

[Cindy]

Thanks for the compliments, everyone. I can only grow lowlands and some intermediates with ease at my balcony so these pics are about the most I have to share.

N. rafflesiana var. squat

N. bellii x (thorelii x aristolochiodes)

 

[billylh]

i really like the bical x amp, it looks awesome, cant wait for mine to arrive!

~b

 

[Capensis]

I'm so jealous right now. XD I got a neo today though! YAY! It looks a lot like your ventrata so I guess it's a ventrata.