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N. argentii cultivation

Exo

Tastes like chicken!
I was just wondering if anyone here grows this species and if so, what kind of temps, light exposure, and soil mix does this plant prefer? I'm having a hard time finding info on this species because it seems that very few people actually grow it.

Thanks for any insight you can provide.
 
Sooooo.......Nobody grows this Nep?
 
Guess not, but i want to..let's start a new trend
 
Mine's settling in still from when I got it from AW a couple months ago. Hasn't grown a lick since...
 
Edit: Nevermind..

Mod edit: This really wasn't necessary. If you haven't got anything nice to say, then stay out of the conversation. No, we don't need a passive-aggressive post either.
--Est
 
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Edit: Nevermind.. I decided your not worth my comment.

*you're

---------- Post added at 10:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:56 PM ----------

I want to grow one because I hear they are the smallest Nepenthes known. I'm interested in their growing instructions too.
 
i do grow this plant, it is rather small though and has 3 growth points, and i mean small in every extent of the meaning...it was a good size from what i could tell when the previous owner gave it to me with some other plants, but the main point was pretty much toast...its since come back with 3 basals...
a very good friend of mine grows them in his greenhouse with great success, as highlanders the way they should be....soil mix he uses is peat/perlite/lfs/sand/orchid bark/osmunda fiber and the light i believe is full sun but through a white tinted covering on his greenhouse....difficult to explain. temps 80-90 days and 50s at night
 
Back in the day when mine grew and pitchered very well, I found that it loved day temps in 80s during day and night temps in 50s. Also, it enjoys the highest amount of light you can give it....and I really mean a much as you can. Unfortunately my argentii died when it dried out during my cuba vacation and the growth point went black to never come back. :(
 
Back in the day when mine grew and pitchered very well, I found that it loved day temps in 80s during day and night temps in 50s. Also, it enjoys the highest amount of light you can give it....and I really mean a much as you can. Unfortunately my argentii died when it dried out during my cuba vacation and the growth point went black to never come back. :(

:-(

I have mine out in the scorching sun from 1-2pmish until sunset, up to 80 during the day, and somewhere in the 60's at night lately. It's been at my house at least a month and still not grown a hair. Gets watered plenty too.
 
  • #10
I went and looked through my Nepenthes bible: Pitcher plants of the old world vol. 1&2
By Stewert Mcpherson

It seems that N. argentii is yet another one of those carnivorous plants that grows
in a high alkaline environment with serpentine rock.

I will make a few quotes:


"Sibuyon Island... on the summits of Mt. Guiting—altitudes of 1400-1900 m. The upper slopes of these peaks are completely exposed,
wild and windswept, and consist of dense swathes of severely stunted upper montane scrub, to 40 cm tall,
punctuated by razor sharp serpentine protrusions, boulders and rock falls. Nepenthes argentii
has evolved to survive this extreme habitat as one of the smallest of all Nepenthes,
the rosettes of mature plants rarely exceeding 25 cm in diameter."

He also goes on to say:

"....grows in shallow, nutrient poor, rocky substrate, nestled amidst surrounding vegetation and rocks,
sheltered slightly from the worst extremes of the harsh climate—
"plants tolerate strong usually strong direct sunlight..."
"— Highland windy habitat..."

I would think that maybe your plant is not getting its basic requirments, (no pun intended) rather than acidity.
Maybe try crushing up some serpentine rock— thats what i do with my more alkaline plants.

Hope this helps ;)
 
  • #11
Could you give some examples of serpentine rock? What works for you?
 
  • #12
...
I would think that maybe your plant is not getting its basic requirments, (no pun intended) rather than acidity.
Maybe try crushing up some serpentine rock— thats what i do with my more alkaline plants.

Hope this helps ;)

But where do I get some?
 
  • #13
just because it is found in those environments doesnt necessarily equate that environment being optimal conditions for the plants. northiana and campanulata are two that come to mind (both grow on limestone cliffs).

thez: i believe serpentine can be found in California itself. it's normally bluish/green in color. otherwise, you can use crushed limestone.
 
  • #14
I personally found both N. campanulata and N. argentii to grow well in just sphagnum moss/perlite/charcoal/orchid bark mix. This is the standard mix I use for every nep and so far it seems to be good for all the species I have tried.
 
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  • #15
Awesome info guys, I'm starting to get some ideas on what this plant seems to like the most.


BTW....I heard somewhere that argetii only pitchers if it's tendrils can burrow into moss....can anyone confirm or deny this?
 
  • #16
Well....in my case...it didn't really BURY...but all pitchers that formed were resting on a bed of sphagnum moss.

3539312531_5ef06137cd.jpg
 
  • #17
Gah! I love this plant! I've always wanted one and I just might get one. Though I am afraid that Alaska might not provide enough light! It would definitely be a challenge for me to grow. Great info on this species... One picture! Nice :D
 
  • #18
BUMP Sorry to bring up an old thread but this species deserves it!

So hopefully I've got one headed my way. I just wanted to review and see if there's any recent action on this species.

So it originates from limestone alkaline substrates, but some of you say it can grow just fine in LFS, peat, bark, or a more classic Nepenthes mix. Seems like high light is the key. (That means I'll have to get a strong light!)

It wants solid highlander temperatures, got it. Humidity can't hurt I suppose. I wonder if it can be a little dry if it naturally withstands beating sun and winds?

I KNOW some of you guys have an argentii nestled amongst your giant Nepenthes collections, so PLEASE, let's see some pictures of this sweet plant! Even if it isn't looking good.

Kris? How are the three growth points going?
Thez? How's yours, grown any at all?
Jeremiah? what's your plant up to?
Anyone else out there that grows this?

I'm afraid I'm obsessed with it, so here's just a sweet picture from cpukforums :p

Nepenthes_argentii_200kb.jpg
 
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  • #19
I traded mine away for some ceph seeds a little while ago :p

While I had it though, I had it in half lfs, half cocohusk chunks, in really freaking strong sunshine and in the way of wind (on the edge of the plants on my balcony as opposed to the center of the neps ghetto). It was essentially in windy-desert conditions like a cactus. I kept it pretty dry too - I think the potting material would get rock-solid-dry for a couple days before I watered again because it was in a 3" pot and I only water once a week. It grew all of a leaf and a half in the 3ish months I had it, which includes acclimation for about 3 weeks because it was a Wistuba plant. No pitchers for me though :-(
 
  • #20
Traded it away!:-(

Those Cephalotus better germinate well!

Thanks for the input anyway...
 
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