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Question on growing nepenthes, from someone who hasnt grown any before.

My wife runs the greenhouse on campus here. They just got a brand new one and we're looking to fill it up. Nepenthes is one genus of plant we'd like to splurge on (the wife has a decent budget for plant acquisition), we actually already ordered a giant collection of greenhouse plants from Glasshouse Works, but no Nepenthes or other carnivores were included. I noticed the shop here has several kinds of Nepenthes in hanging baskets and I was wondering if there were any real differences in those plants, as far as condition requirements, ease, etc.. The new greenhouse will actually be split into 2 climate types, 1 tropical and 1 more temperate.

One other question I have is this: Do the Nepenthes grow well outside at all? I am in WI, so obviously the Nepenthes would have to be in the greenhouse for at least 2/3 the year, but I was wondering how they would do if kept outside over summer. We usually have a bunch of hanging flower baskets on the backside of our house, and I thought I would rather have Nepenthes there, if at all possible. Watering wouldn't be a problem, as I have a large Sarracenia collection and am out watering those guys all the time. Temp may be an issue, where I'm at it's rare to get into the 90's in summer. typical summer day is around 80-85. night temps are usually in 60's here in summer, although no one would bat an eye if there was a July night that dropped down to 50. We actually had a freakish cold snap about 2 weeks ago, where it got down to 39 one night. first fall frost is usually late sept-oct, last spring frost is usually early-mid May.

anyway, just wanted to see what some of you experts thought.
Oh - one last thing - we did acquire a Nepenthes copelandii (i think that's what it is). we've kept it outside for the past month, watering it about every day and so far seems to be doing ok. i believe it was just a cutting. anyway - anyone have experience with that particular one?
 
Some of them thrive outside given decent conditions. Many neps acquire wonderful colors when grown in full sun that indoor cultivators never see. I grew my nepenthes sanguinea outside for a while and it did very well. You just need to make sure the humidity isn't too low, and there is an appropriate temperature drop from day to night.

Jason
 
If a local shop has nepenthes in hanging baskets, they are very likely to be hardy hybrids or species and not require any special care (for nepenthes). I grow a wide variety of nepenthes in temps that average 60 overnight, and 80 during the day, and I have 50-80% humidity depending on the weather. If you get close to those conditions in your temperate house, the list of nepenthes you cannot grow will be much smaller than the list that will grow well for you.
 
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