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What's a good houseplant nep?

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Eats genetically engineered tomatoes
I asked a few people this question, but wanted a few more opinions, so here goes: What would be a good houseplant nep? I grow mine in tanks alone, which promises to kill me when they start to vine, but I'd like one or two big plants just hanging out in my room. It would be either a hanging basket by an east facing window, getting spilloff light from growlights there, or on the ground with CFLs lighting it. Conditions would be 60-70 in the day during the winter, 50-60 at night, but would be warmer in the summer. I don't really know what humidity would be, but I don't have a problem upping it in my room.

It would have to:

Be able to survive and pitcher of course! I mean, otherwise, what's the point?

Be big (or grow quickly),

Look nice! I mean, my sang could prolly grow and pitcher in a hole in siberia, but it's the ugliest thing on earth.

Erm... be cheap. :lol: I'm not looking for rarity or anything, but my price range for a nice sized plant would be ≤ $40, which I'm sure gets rid of a lot of prospects.

What would you guys suggest?

Thanks a bunch, happy growing!
 
Well, I've successfully grown N. ventricosa (I kinda like 'em, bad rap be damned) and N. x ventrata in my south-facing windowsill that gets baking temperatures by day and offensively low humidity levels. Add to that my inconsistency with remembering to water the things, and you begin to marvel at how these plants survive at all.

Nevertheless, I'd suggest anything with N. ventricosa or N. maxima in its parentage as they are relatively bomb-proof. I have a N. ventricosa x spectabilis "giant" that I'd venture to say would do just fine on a windowsill, and it makes gorgeous pitchers if you ask me.

EDIT: for the summer months where my window is partially shaded with foliage on the trees outside, I supplement sunlight with a simple CFL suspended about 8" above the plants. I grow them in hanging baskets... those 6" wooden orchid baskets you can get on homedepot.com are cheap and good lookin'.
 
Ventrata
Super cheap
Super easy
 
N.veitchii HL forms

N.truncata "pasian"

N.ventricosa

N.spectabilis x aristolocloidies

N.sanguinea (there are color forms that are rather nice"

N.maxima

N "Red leopard"

N.sanguinea x ramnispina

N.alata

N.copelandii

N.jamban

N.spathulata

N.ventrata
 
@exo
Since when is jamban cheep?
 
ventrata has grown fine and pitchered in 10% winter humidity though it threw out mutant pitchers during the adjustment period.....highland veitchii will grow like a weed even in low humidity but in my experience doesnt pitcher unless humidity is consistently over 50%....bongso might also be a good one to try if you want pure species, for me it was pretty bullet proof but liked to go into suspended animation when conditions changed....didnt suffer, just quit growing at all while it adjusted than would pick back up where it left off once it did....
 
Definitely N. ventricosa will not give up on you. Tried and true.

I haven't done much experimenting but I would be willing to bet that most ventricosa hybrids are very similar. And some of them are pretty gorgeous looking plants for the money.
 
I am suprised I haven't seen Miranda suggested... They are easy to grow, easy to find, get REALLY big, have nice pitchers, and are pretty cheap. I think it would fit the bill nicely....
 
  • #10
I am suprised I haven't seen Miranda suggested... They are easy to grow, easy to find, get REALLY big, have nice pitchers, and are pretty cheap. I think it would fit the bill nicely....

the one i had didnt like low humidity like veitchii.....though if your humidity is decent its prolly a good one....ventricosa and hybrids with seem better at pitchering at low humidity and dont mind changes in environment that happen ina household environment....
 
  • #11
Ooh, now that you mention it, I would add N. mirabilis to the list based on my own experience. Your temps might be a tiny bit low for it, but it might be the most vigorous and forgiving plant I have in my collection, ventricosa and ventrata included (of course your mileage may vary).

I got mine as an unrooted cutting from another member here almost a year ago and did *everything* wrong. I got the cutting and put it in the fridge to "keep it fresh" until I put it in water to root. I added fertilizer to the rooting water and used tap water instead of RO. I didn't put the cutting under lights for the first week. By the time I got everything right, all the leaves on the cutting had begun to turn brown and the stem was getting crispy. Yet still, a few weeks later, not only was the cutting producing new leaves and roots, it was pitchering already! Since then it has been going full-steam, non-stop.
 
  • #12
My vote goes to Lady Pauline - it's a gorgeous plant that takes after one of my favorite neps: talangensis - the other parent is Maxima. Hardy, it pitchers well in a good deal of conditions, it is bushy and puts out basals regularly. It's a medium-sized plant and one that will do well in windowsills. Exotic Lady is another vigorous cross that uses maxima dark as one of the parents and it's larger than Lady Pauline. Both of them are fairly easy to procure.
 
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  • #13
I am suprised I haven't seen Miranda suggested... They are easy to grow, easy to find, get REALLY big, have nice pitchers, and are pretty cheap. I think it would fit the bill nicely....

I find it does best in a warmer environment.
 
  • #14
I would take a look at carnivore12's photo thread. All his neps are grown as windowsill plants and look awesome.
 
  • #16
..... is Maxima. Hardy, it pitchers well in a good deal of conditions, it is bushy and puts out basals regularly. It's a medium-sized plant and one that will do well in windowsills.
My BE N. eymae (aka: N. maxima) was a champ on my windowsill. it pitchered thru the low humidity of winter & the higher temps of summer - amazing plant. Also very cool shape imho.
 
  • #17
N. copelandii has a very nice shape; it is cheap, relatively available, and hardy. It's a good alternative to other suggestions like N. sanguinea, alata, maxima, ventricosa, and various hybrids.
 
  • #18
My vote goes for N.truncata. They seem to LOVE it behind a window just hanging out in a kitchen.
 
  • #19
Lets not forget the almost bombproof khasiana
 
  • #20
Could I try Nepenthes ampullaria on my bathroom windowsill?
 
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