CP newbie needs help w\ Sarracenia

[kablam]

So here's the deal. I bought a 135 gallon terrarium from this guy for a $100 bucks with a bunch of carnivorous plants. I was originally shopping craigslist for an empty aquarium to make an orchid terrarium for my GF, but came across this.
You can see some pics here:
Terrarium
I've only had it for less than a week and I'm not sure about the condition of some of the plants. I'm completely new to this and need to read through some FAQs, but wanted to get a quick opinion on these pitcher plants. IS this reddish brown color normal??

The terrarium is in front of a window, with natural light but no direct sunlight. I have an old 36 compact flourecent hood on top and I just ordered replacement bulbs that should be here next week. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!!
thanks!
-bryan

 

[Clint]

it looks like it got a little burned.. just make sure the sunlight doesn't heat it up too much (greenhouse effect).

that's a nepenthes (judith finn i believe). nepenthes are tropical and grow into vining plants, but can be pruned. Sarracenia are temperate and require dormancy and alot of light. they stay small (well compared to most nepenthes).

the plant in the upper left-hand corner looks like S. purpurea. you can stick it outside if you want. it will do much better. the other plant looks like an S. leucofilla (spelling please?) plant or a hybrid between that and something else (prolly a cultivar). stick that outside too.

you got an AMAZING deal!

 

[kablam]

Correction, it's a It's a Nepenthes Lowii as JustLikeAPill stated! Like I said, I'm a newbie

! I'm a good learner though!
Ahhh... now it's all making sense. So I had to drive it an hour in the back of a pick up truck in the hot teh butt Colorado sun. That explains the burns!! Can you point me to FAQ on these plants?? . Thanks again for your help!!
Here's what the guy told me is in the terrarium:
Carnivorous plants from the US and Indonesia:3 plants Nepenthes (unknown variety), 2 plants Nepenthes Lowii (Gunung Trusmadi, Borneo - a highland plant) (the following websites show species photos and/or information http://wwwborneoexotics.com/Species%20Data/lowii.htm ), 1 plant sarracenia leucophylla (hot pink cultivar) ( http://www.pitcherplant.com/image_folder1/sleu_pinkmx.html ), 1 plant sarracenia purpurea ( http://www.piantecarnivore.org/growlist/plants/sarracenia_purpureajpg )

Air plants with flowers (from 2 to 12+ inches in diameter): Tillandsia Concolor ( http://fcbs.org/images/Tillandsia/t_concolor1.jpg ), Tillandsia Funckiana ( http://www.tropiflora.com/creport/cr14-3/198%20-%201.jpg ), Tillandsia Neglecta (http://fcbs.org/images/Tillandsia/t_neglecta_hp.jpg ), Tillandsia Rothii ( http://www.birdrocktropicals.com/images/T_rothii.jpg ) Xerographica ( http://www.alcjr.com/tillandsias/xerographica.html), Tillandsia Schiedeana 'minor' (http://www.birdrocktropicals.com/images/T167.jpg)

Orchids: 2-4 plants (depending on how you count) Madagascar vanilla (vanilla planifolia, http://www.orchidphotos.org/images....9.jpg), 1 orchid plant (unknown but has red flowers)

Live sphagnum mosses, small ferns, some clover, a knarled tree trunk and a small pond.

Black pepper vines (piper nigrum, of the piperaceae family, http://www.phytomania.com/poivre3comp.jpg), usually grown in India and Indonesia.

2 inch long Chinese Fire Belly Toad (Bombina orientalis, I think, http://www.centralpets.com/critter....847.jpg ) that is about 3-4 years old

 

[Clint]

you have what i believe is N. x "Judith Finn". a photo is Here

This is N. lowii

this is the best FAQ around http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html

 

[seedjar]

If you look close in some of the other pics, Clint, you'll see some smaller Neps without distinct pitchers - I think those might be the N. lowii.
Welcome to the forums, kablam. You've come to the right place. That terrarium was quite a find!
The Sarracenia species need to be removed, if you're keen on keeping them alive. Sarracenia hail from the east coast of the USA and are not really compatible with the cultivation of Nepenthes and tropical orchids. Dig them out, pot them up with a nutrient free mix (check the CP FAQ that Clint linked to for details,) put them in tall trays of mineral-free water (rainwater, or water filtered by distillation, reverse osmosis, or deionization,) and get them outside. Because they've been living in a terrarium, they will likely be a little too tender for direct sun, so give them filtered or indirect light until they begin making new pitchers. Once you see new growth, give them direct morning sun, and once the new leaves are established you can move them into all-day sun.
Like Sarracenia (and almost all other carnivorous plants,) Nepenthes also appreciate mineral-free water. Neps are more tolerant of hard water than most CPs, but filtered is still preferable. As your terrarium appears to be undrained, you'll need to use purified water or rainwater to prevent minerals from accumulating in the soil as the water evaporates. In a pinch you can get away with tap water, but regular watering with hard water will leave the soil uninhabitable for carnivorous plants, whose roots burn easily in nutrient-rich soil. Alternatively, you could remove the Neps from the bottom of the terrarium (making sure to dig up plenty of soil with them, as Neps have brittle, easily damaged roots) and pot them in an appropriate mix (again, check the CP FAQ - there's a whole guide to Neps in the 'FAQ Library' section.) Neps in pots handle hard water better, as water draining from the pot will tend to flush out excess minerals.
Anyhow, I know that's a lot, but them's the breaks. CPs require some unusual care, but they really aren't hard at all so long as you get the water and potting mix right.
Happy growing,
~Joe

 

[Alvin Meister]

Moved to the nepenthes (tropical pitcher plant) forum...