Easy Office Nepenthes

[NatchGreyes]

Hello Office Workers!

I was recently asked to find a showy Nepenthes that reliably produces pitchers in a somewhat sunny office environment. The requestee has no real experience with carnivorous plants and would prefer not to have a terrarium. Supplemental light is a possibility, but the main light source would be a sunny windowsill. Humidity would not be very high. And I already remarked that, in our climate, in winter, the plant - whatever it is - would likely not produce many pitchers unless frequently misted. Temps are fairly constant but can range from 60 to 80 depending on whether the heat or AC is on, and, obviously, localized temperatures will vary depending on the strength of the sun through the window, the nearness of warm computers, etc.

The preference is to acquire a plant that's already somewhat large. I already suggested ventrata and Miranda, but was asked for something "showier" that wasn't so "boring." I was wondering what any of you with offices grew in those offices?

One suggestion I saw while searching old discussions was "thorelli" x aristo. It looks like it would tolerate those conditions. Thoughts?

Thanks,
-N

 

[SubRosa]

x Miranda is boring? It's the one Nep I actually have a bit of experience with. Common perhaps, but grown sunny it's as showy as a lot of the "fancy" ones I see pics of. To each their own!

 

[chibae]

I don't think Miranda is boring either but that aside I love aristo crosses but have never tried a thorelli x aristo. Sounds like a nice houseplant.

 

[NatchGreyes]

x Miranda is boring? It's the one Nep I actually have a bit of experience with. Common perhaps, but grown sunny it's as showy as a lot of the "fancy" ones I see pics of. To each their own!

IDK, I thought it was a good cross.

 

[Aionios]

Only a short amount of experience here since I've only had a "thorelli" x aristo since the end of January so feel free to ignore this. It seems to be fine on my windowsill so far. Sorry, I can't really provide constant stats because I don't usually put my monitor there but right now it's sitting around 75F and is 29%. Window is south facing and the plants are on top of a radiator.

It didn't come with any pitchers, just tendrils. Some of which aborted but it's first pitcher forming in it's new environment is on the right.

I think it would be a good choice.

 

[SerMuncherIV]

Thorelii x aristolochioides is a pretty easy grower from my understanding (some have even told me that it's as easy as ventrata). However, it doesn't seem to be available very often, and the ones I do see for sale are somewhat pricey and pretty small. I would suggest any maxima hybrid, but seeing as N. miranda isn't "showy" enough, that idea is pretty much shot...The only large, adaptable nepenthes commonly available are pretty much just ventrata and miranda. Growing the really impressive species well on a windowsill usually isn't possible without great dedication and patience, unless you can somehow get a sample of elgecko's magic clone of N. hamata...

 

[w03]

I wonder how N. x tiveyi does on windowsills... theoretically it should be fairly tolerant (based on the parentage), and its pitchers are stunning.

 

[NatchGreyes]

Thorelii x aristolochioides is a pretty easy grower from my understanding (some have even told me that it's as easy as ventrata). However, it doesn't seem to be available very often, and the ones I do see for sale are somewhat pricey and pretty small. I would suggest any maxima hybrid, but seeing as N. miranda isn't "showy" enough, that idea is pretty much shot...The only large, adaptable nepenthes commonly available are pretty much just ventrata and miranda. Growing the really impressive species well on a windowsill usually isn't possible without great dedication and patience, unless you can somehow get a sample of elgecko's magic clone of N. hamata...

While more than willing to gift away a Nep, if I do ever get a hold of elgeckos magic N. hamata, I'll be keeping that one for my own office

 

[SerMuncherIV]

Edit, I forgot about N. x 'Judith Finn', it's nearly indestructible. But again, if miranda isn't "showy" enough, I doubt this guy will make the cut.

 

[NatchGreyes]

I'll pull pictures and show them Monday. Who knows?

 

[M Jacobs]

I grew a lowii x boschiana and a sanguinea on a window sill after a short acclimation period. I think the latter is pretty cool but just another suggestion. Most EP hybrids are extremely tolerant as well. If he wanted something really showy I would look at some of those.

 

[NatchGreyes]

Nice! Didn't even think of that!

 

[SerMuncherIV]

Shame your friend didn't think of this a month earlier, we just missed a really nice shipment of huge EP plants to an unnamed distributor in the US. The downside is, large EP plants are pretty expensive, without even counting the customs and phytosanitary fees...I have to admit though, nothing impresses a colleague more than a huge N. truncata x merrilliana lounging on the windowsill!

 

[Knuckles]

Hmm since you don't like big beautiful deep red/burgundy blotched pitchers of N Miranda...... Truncata Pasian Highland - get a large specimen b/c they grow slowly but produce giant green & red pitchers usually with striped peristome. Veitchii Highland - Gorgeous wide peristome usually striped with green & pink pitchers. N. Viking - Nice round pitchers & cheap but needs acclimation. Veitchii pink is one of my favorites. Ive had all 3 as window plants producing pitchers. I had them on water trays with pebbles so no water reached the bottom of the pots. 2-3 per big pot for more pitchers.

Im just as shocked as every1 that you do not think Miranda is showy. Have you ever owned a fully grown N Miranda? They are enormous with many pitchers around 6-7 inches in my experience. Just saying... =P