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Nepenthesis

Formerly known as Pineapple
I'm going on a major nep shopping trip in a few days... Well, my first nep shopping trip, anyways. I am looking to get some forgiving ones. One that are resilient in cooler and hotter temperatures, ones that humidity swings won't kill, ones that like lots/little sunlight.

I did some research on highlanders that would fit my conditions. The entire list fits my conditions at least fairly well. The ones labeled medium were on the list in case I fell in love with the plant and absolutely had to have it, but they were labeled medium due to mainly humidity, which I can eventually provide for when I get a fogger installed.

Nepenthes burkeii – Very easy (Highland)
Nepenthes copelandii - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes hamata – 6”+ = Easy/Medium (Highland)
Nepenthes khasiana – FREAKING PERFECT (Highland)
Nepenthes lowii – Easy/Medium (Highland)
Nepenthes macrophylla – Easy/Medium (Highland)
Nepenthes maxima – Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes rafflesiana – Easy (Lowland)
Nepenthes veitchii – Easy (Intermediate)
Nepenthes vogelii - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes sanguinea - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes singalana - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes talangensis - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes copelandii - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes alba - ??? (Highland)
Nepenthes gymnamphora - ??? (Highland)
Nepenthes specatabilis - ??? (Highland)

Are any of those out of question for a newbie, even if they fit my temperature range? Are there any that aren't on there that would be a good choice for a beginner?
 
Lowii, hamata, singalana, and macrophylla are pretty picky when it comes to temps and humidity, none are beginner plants. I even struggle with singalana. The rest of the plants on your list look good though

And one more suggestion, you would have trouble growing highlanders and lowlanders together. It just dosent work well.
 
I've found burkeii and gymnamphora to be a difficult plant oddly enough for no reason that I could figure out. Spectabilis never did anything for me either when I got it when I was starting out... hamata, talangensis and macrophylla want higher humidity, singalana Tujuh and Belirang never grew any pitchers for me (and still don't), and lowii is so slow that it might be not worth it :lol: If you get vogelli, it's more of an intermediate and will sulk if you keep it in HL conditions. The rest are simpler to grow I think.
 
I've found burkeii and gymnamphora to be a difficult plant oddly enough for no reason that I could figure out. Spectabilis never did anything for me either when I got it when I was starting out... hamata, talangensis and macrophylla want higher humidity, singalana Tujuh and Belirang never grew any pitchers for me (and still don't), and lowii is so slow that it might be not worth it :lol: If you get vogelli, it's more of an intermediate and will sulk if you keep it in HL conditions. The rest are simpler to grow I think.

Basically these to make that easier :lol:
Nepenthes copelandii - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes khasiana – FREAKING PERFECT (Highland)
Nepenthes maxima – Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes rafflesiana – Easy (Lowland)
Nepenthes veitchii – Easy (Intermediate)
Nepenthes vogelii - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes sanguinea - Easy (Highland)
Nepenthes alba - (Highland)

I don't know much about neps but I'm following this threadtoo, to learn some haha
 
I would say off your list to begin with these:

Nepenthes burkeii
Nepenthes copelandii
Nepenthes khasiana
Nepenthes maxima
Nepenthes rafflesiana
Nepenthes veitchii
Nepenthes sanguinea
Nepenthes specatabilis

they should grow rather quickly and are all relatively easy in that they are not high altitude Highland temperature requiring plants, most would be considered intermediate lowlanders who grow perfectly well at household temps. Good for beginners. The others you choose require cool days and cold nights with very high humidity to ensure reliable high quality pitchering and are (for the most part) very slow growers and wind up being "boring" to beginners IF they are able to keep the plants alive past 3-6 months. Sadly most beginners underestimate the temperature needs of HL Nepenthes and their plants perish.

You don't state what your temps are going to be tell us the following:

Day temps night temps summer

Day temps night temps winter

Humidity

Amount of light
 
Lowii, hamata, singalana, and macrophylla are pretty picky when it comes to temps and humidity, none are beginner plants. I even struggle with singalana. The rest of the plants on your list look good though

And one more suggestion, you would have trouble growing highlanders and lowlanders together. It just dosent work well.

The lowlander I listed was said by the Nepenthes University to be able to withstand varying temperature range, as well as temperatures down to 35F for a few weeks, which is perfect for winter. And it likes my hot summer temps. I can always place it in the greenhouse where it will be warmer, away from the summertime swam cooler. Plus, I really like the look of the pitcher. I don't want to keep most lowlanders because they'll die during the winter without a heater running 24/7, but the one I listed seemed okay. I can definitely live without it if that's necessary. I'm just building a list so I'll have a reference to hardiness and a lot of options.

I would say off your list to begin with these:

Nepenthes burkeii
Nepenthes copelandii
Nepenthes khasiana
Nepenthes maxima
Nepenthes rafflesiana
Nepenthes veitchii
Nepenthes sanguinea
Nepenthes specatabilis

they should grow rather quickly and are all relatively easy in that they are not high altitude Highland temperature requiring plants, most would be considered intermediate lowlanders who grow perfectly well at household temps. Good for beginners. The others you choose require cool days and cold nights with very high humidity to ensure reliable high quality pitchering.

You don't state what your temps are going to be tell us the following:

Day temps night temps summer

Day temps night temps winter

Humidity

Amount of light

Outside Day Temp Summer: 60-100, depending on the weather. This past summer there were a few weeks of 50s-60s with rain, but some years it has been above 100F. Of course, in the greenhouse I will be running a swamp cooler, misting regularly and making sure the greenhouse stays 85F or below. The nighttime temperatures are in the 50s and 60s.

Outside Day Temp Winter: 50-70, depending on the weather. It never snows, but it does frost often, however the greenhouse will protect the plants from a frost. I may invest in a small heater to run on those nights when it gets really cold. The nighttime temperatures are between 35 and 40 usually. The greenhouse is currently staying around 40F on these cold nights, but I'm going to insulate it more.

Humidity: I haven't installed anything humidity-wise to the greenhouse yet. I'm thinking about a misting system, but that wouldn't really work since neps don't like tap water. More than likely, I'll end up getting a fogger. I'll invest in a pump-spray bottle with a large tank so I can bring the humidity up using RO/DI. Right now, without any form of humidifying, it stays around 60-70 percent.

Lighting: In the winter, the greenhouse gets about two hours of full sun at the least. In the summer, I would say it will get around four or five hours of full sun. The rest of the day, the greenhouse is in bright, indirect sunlight. It's shaded by my neighbor's trees, but it's the brightest place in my yard.

---------- Post added at 08:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------

I've found burkeii and gymnamphora to be a difficult plant oddly enough for no reason that I could figure out. Spectabilis never did anything for me either when I got it when I was starting out... hamata, talangensis and macrophylla want higher humidity, singalana Tujuh and Belirang never grew any pitchers for me (and still don't), and lowii is so slow that it might be not worth it :lol: If you get vogelli, it's more of an intermediate and will sulk if you keep it in HL conditions. The rest are simpler to grow I think.

I'll stay away from hamata, macrophylla and talangensis for now until I get some more experience under my belt. If lowii is slow-growing, it might not be the best choice for me, being as impatient as I am. I'll say away from vogelli also then.
 
From what I understand and in my experience, hamata is not necessarily all that difficult, but that talangensis and singalana are not really easy plants. They require higher humidity (I think) than most. Also macrophylla is not a beginners plant by any means especially considering how expensive they can be.

My advice would be to get burkei, maxima, copelandii, maybe alba, vogellii and if you feel like you are ready for it a hamata that can be your baby that you pamper a little more.

I would stay away from lowlanders because in any attempt to make them really happy you will sacrifice the necessary conditions for your highlanders. Also without their true lowland temps they will just pout and take up space not doing much.
 
stay away from anything too expensive cheap plants can still be great plants,sanguinea and khasiana are a must,fast growing plants are what i would go for and when they are up and going look towards the slower and more expensive,why no ventricosa i think they are very under rated,they are cheap easy growing and i think they look good
 
Why has nobody suggested hybrids? Many hybrids are far more forgiving, and tolerant of extremes/ errors in culture. They often have the advantage of being very vigorous. Many are also incredibly beautiful.
 
  • #10
Hybrids with ventricosa and maxima in them are very easy to grow and often very beautiful, I would recommend them to a beginner. Another hybrid I'd recommend is truncata x veitchii HL, I really love this plant and it's very forgiving and very beautiful as it matures
 
  • #11
For example, N. ventricosa X N. spectabilis:

vent-spec0032.jpg


Easy to grow, vigor like no tomorrow, and adaptable to a range of conditions. It is also very likely to be tolerant of mistakes. As Mike said, any of the N. maxima hybrids are going to be extremely rewarding for the beginner, as are many of the fine N. ventricosa crosses. N. Miranda, anyone?!
 
  • #12
I wouldn't get the rafflesiana. While large plants can be tough for lowlanders, small ones can quickly wither and dry out if not kept in warm, humid conditions.
 
  • #13
What are your day and night temperatures for much of the year? If I recall you mentioned you are zone 9/10?? My biggest concern is your heat through most of the year. Zone 9/10 you are going to have hot hot hot and warm nights for months on end. Shade on the greenhouse evaporative cooling will only go so far, the big issue will be your night temperatures during Spring/Summer/Fall. Anything remotely highland will wither and die. So you have to decide.. pick plants that can take the few weeks of cold but will shrivel up the rest of the year from the heat. Or get plants that will be happy for the other 90% of the year but will need some heat for those few cold weeks/spells.
 
  • #14
stay away from anything too expensive cheap plants can still be great plants,sanguinea and khasiana are a must,fast growing plants are what i would go for and when they are up and going look towards the slower and more expensive,why no ventricosa i think they are very under rated,they are cheap easy growing and i think they look good

Yeah, I'm actually just going to buy a couple cheap plants, maybe $20 max. :blush:

I have a Ventricosa x Talangensis. I don't like the pitchers on Ventricosa though. If I see one in a color that I like for a good price, I'll snatch it up! I'm up for getting anything as long as the pitchers are nice lol.

From what I understand and in my experience, hamata is not necessarily all that difficult, but that talangensis and singalana are not really easy plants. They require higher humidity (I think) than most. Also macrophylla is not a beginners plant by any means especially considering how expensive they can be.

My advice would be to get burkei, maxima, copelandii, maybe alba, vogellii and if you feel like you are ready for it a hamata that can be your baby that you pamper a little more.

I would stay away from lowlanders because in any attempt to make them really happy you will sacrifice the necessary conditions for your highlanders. Also without their true lowland temps they will just pout and take up space not doing much.

I really want a Hamata due to their teeth and pitcher shape. The nice colors are a bonus. I won't go out of my way to buy one, but if I stumble upon a cheap, healthy, pretty one, I might as well get it.

Why has nobody suggested hybrids? Many hybrids are far more forgiving, and tolerant of extremes/ errors in culture. They often have the advantage of being very vigorous. Many are also incredibly beautiful.

Last night I had a brief discussion in the chat about hybrids. Generally, anything crossed with really simple growers (Vent/Trunc/ect.) is fairly easy to keep, in most cases. I really like hybrids too, so I may get one if I find one that I like.

Hybrids with ventricosa and maxima in them are very easy to grow and often very beautiful, I would recommend them to a beginner. Another hybrid I'd recommend is truncata x veitchii HL, I really love this plant and it's very forgiving and very beautiful as it matures

I'll keep an eye out for hybrids in that case. I REALLY like Mass's Veitchii K, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for one of them. :-O

For example, N. ventricosa X N. spectabilis:

Easy to grow, vigor like no tomorrow, and adaptable to a range of conditions. It is also very likely to be tolerant of mistakes. As Mike said, any of the N. maxima hybrids are going to be extremely rewarding for the beginner, as are many of the fine N. ventricosa crosses. N. Miranda, anyone?!

Beautiful hybrid! I will definitely be on the lookout for hybrids now! :drool:

I wouldn't get the rafflesiana. While large plants can be tough for lowlanders, small ones can quickly wither and dry out if not kept in warm, humid conditions.

So if there's a large refflesiana it would be okay to get, but I should stay away from small ones?

What are your day and night temperatures for much of the year? If I recall you mentioned you are zone 9/10?? My biggest concern is your heat through most of the year. Zone 9/10 you are going to have hot hot hot and warm nights for months on end. Shade on the greenhouse evaporative cooling will only go so far, the big issue will be your night temperatures during Spring/Summer/Fall. Anything remotely highland will wither and die. So you have to decide.. pick plants that can take the few weeks of cold but will shrivel up the rest of the year from the heat. Or get plants that will be happy for the other 90% of the year but will need some heat for those few cold weeks/spells.

I would say from the beginning of fall into a bit of spring, it stays pretty cool. It only gets hot around May through August. In the hot, dry months, I can definitely run a swamp cooler without issues. In the cold, wet months, I would be afraid to run a heater for very long. With lowlanders, I would need to keep the greenhouse really warm 24/7 in the winter. I'm afraid of leaving the heater on unattended because of my friend's greenhouse that burned down a few years back due to heating malfunctions. The zone I'm in is really based upon the minimum temperature rather than maximum. It does gert hot here, but it's not Texas. Last summer we had a few weeks of 50s-60s, and that was right in the middle of July! It usually gets up to 90 during the summer, with the occasional 100, but that's rare. In the winter, it usually stays around 35, but it can get down below freezing, however that is rare as well. I think HL would be a better choice for my climate zone, as the temperature can be controlled without me worrying in the summer. I won't pile on the plants until I know how they can make it through the hot months though. I can always adjust as I go along.
 
  • #15
Here's what I got...

N. x Peter Damato x Maxima
1055yep.jpg


N. Singalana 'Belirang'
2iaajpu.jpg


N. Densiflora x Spectablilis
sg69p1.jpg


Any tips? The guy at the nursery said they were all relatively easy to keep and fast growing. Should I watch the humidity for any of them? The N. Peter Damato x Maxima was sitting in a tray with 1/2" of water and the other two were sitting on a rack. Should I put it in a tray of water if it's in a 80% humidity terrarium?
 
  • #16
I would have gone for N. burkei. Mine is growing faster than N. maxima at room temps. N. ramispina is another good option to consider for later.
 
  • #17
I would have gone for N. burkei. Mine is growing faster than N. maxima at room temps. N. ramispina is another good option to consider for later.

To be honest, I'm not really going for a particular species. I don't really mind if it grows like a weed, as long as it doesn't grow as slow as a rock. I went in looking for pretty plants. If I saw one I liked, I checked the price. If it was in my budget, I asked if it was easy to keep. If it was easy to keep, I got it. If I find a burkei or a ramispina that I like for a good price, I'll buy it in a heartbeat. :)
 
  • #18
Nice first choice of plants, I would keep a particularly close eye on the N. singalana, those can be very finicky and its one of the only plants that ever died on me without ever growing. :cry:

Keep the night time temperatures low for that puppy, and the humidity up.

The other plants being hybrids and complex hybrids will hopefully be easy and fun for you.
 
  • #19
Nice first choice of plants, I would keep a particularly close eye on the N. singalana, those can be very finicky and its one of the only plants that ever died on me without ever growing. :cry:

Keep the night time temperatures low for that puppy, and the humidity up.

The other plants being hybrids and complex hybrids will hopefully be easy and fun for you.

Crap, now I feel pressure on my to not kill it. I really like it lol. It should like my nighttime temperatures in the greenhouse and the humidity of the terrarium... Idea! What if I put it in the greenhouse in a sealed fish tank, so that way it gets light and cool nighttime temps! Or I could sit it in a large, shallow dish of water to keep up the humidity around it. :-D
 
  • #20
I would not put in a dish of water just out of the possibility of root rot which will kill any plant it strikes.

I also wouldn't seal it, because I almost think that might have been part of the reason mine didn't survive because the air flow might not have been good enough. If I were you, I would try and have the day temps be 75-80, the night temps be about 50 degrees, and mist it a few times a day.
 
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