Looking for Nepenthes bicalcarata. Trade for Dracula vampira and/or other non Cps

[RandyS]

This is sort of a redo of a post I had from about a month ago:

http://www.terraforums.com/forums/s...panion-Offers-Division-of-Self?highlight=kahl

I showed a friend who does not grow Nepenthes a photo of Nepenthes bicalcarata and he told me he needs to grow that species. This is someone with a greenhouse who does extremely well with plants, so he's not a novice.

So I was earlier looking for hybrids of N. bicalcarata that might have some tolerance of cooler growing conditions. Now I am looking for the species. Ideally it would be nice to get a cutting enough for at least 2 propagation attempts. I typically cut things into the smallest pieces possible, and generally have good luck with cuttings.

In exchange I can offer the Dracula vampira division of the previous post. That cutting was in doubt for a little while, when it aborted its one new growth. It's been about a month, and it signaled its vigor by putting out two new (still tiny) growths, one at the site of the aborted one.





Admittedly, these may be hard to see, and if someone needs a better photo I can attempt it. My usual camera is in the shop...

The whole Dracula division: It did drop an older leaf that was already senescent when the division was taken:



If Draculas aren't your thing (or sufficient on its own), or if you don't have the cool growing conditions necessary for them, I have plenty of other things: many cool-growing, some warm growing. Just not much in the way of CPs (with the possible exception of N. burkei x truncata.) I have tons of Passifloras, Begonias, etc. Clematis akoensis is a particularly stunning and impossible to find one I have. And plenty of others.

 

[Dexenthes]

Randy - good luck with your quest for this species.

I grew this species for a while a few years ago. If you do not provide lowland conditions, it will pout and grow very slowly and stuntedly, but it will continue to do so. I think lowlanders are more tolerant of colder temps than highlanders are of higher temps, though don't expect any nice pitchers. If it is given proper lowland care it becomes massive very quickly. This species will need a hot house in the long-run. There is some speculation that, in terms of sheer bulk, N. bicalcarata plants in the wild may be the largest carnivorous plants in the world.

 

[RandyS]

Dexenthes,

I doubt I could personally provide true lowland conditions. However, my friend grows and blooms Passiflora cirrhiflora beautifully, and it's from French Guiana, near the equator, near sea level. Here:

http://www.tropicos.org/Name/24201646?tab=specimens

This is considered a giant species as Passifloras go, which says a lot.

So perhaps he has a shot.

 

[Harow]

Well I don't have one, but I recently saw a huge Bical courtesy of San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers...well, just look for yourself how big it can get

 

[RandyS]

I guess the number that is frequently given is that N. bicalcarata is the largest (most massive) carnivorous plant, reaching up to 20 m (65 feet). Still, there are Passilforas that grow just as long, and are certainly much bigger (more massive), as they are highly branched.

About a mile from that Nepenthes bicalcarata at the Conservatory of Flowers is this variegated Passilfora membranacea at the SF Botanical Garden. You can only see the bottoms of the vines hanging down. Most of the leaves, flowers, fruit etc. are way up in the trees. A normal sized person (a friend of mine) is standing by for a size comparison.