N. densiflora x spectabilis Hates Me?

[Nepenthesis]

I purchased this N. densiflora x spectabilis just over a month ago and it doesn't seem to like me as much as all of my other neps. It has taken the entire time not to grow a leaf, but to open it... And it's not even 3/4 way done! It also just opened up it's first pitcher, which was already 2/3 formed, in my care, which is terribly slow compared to all of my other neps. The growth tip, now the tendril, on the new leaf is also black... Not sure if it's characteristic of the species or just dead. I'm just curious if this is a slow growing nep, if I'm not providing the correct conditions, or if I just got a dud specimen. Also, when I got it, it had three pitchers, all three old. One died off and the other two look perfectly fine, despite being a few months old. Not sure what the deal is... Maybe just a completely slow plant at everything?

Temperature: 64-68 (night) 74-78 (day)

Humidity: 80-90%

Lighting: 20w T5 12" above and & 20w T12 8" in front

Whole plant...

Newest pitcher...

If I'm doing something incorrectly, I want to be able to correct it. Soon, all of my neps will be moved outside into a greenhouse, which will be like 50F at night and 90F at the hottest point in the day (about 30 mins), but mid seventies to low eighties the rest of the time if it's sunny. Any tips?

 

[Dexenthes]

The plant looks pretty healthy to me.

I've never grown or seen this cross but I've heard that spectabilis can be somewhat slower growing when young and densiflora is definitely a true highlander.

Some plants are just slow!

But if the growth point is truly dead... That is an issue.

 

[Nepenthesis]

The plant looks pretty healthy to me.

I've never grown or seen this cross but I've heard that spectabilis can be somewhat slower growing when young and densiflora is definitely a true highlander.

Some plants are just slow!

But if the growth point is truly dead... That is an issue.

Now that the new leaf has opened up, I can see the new growth point. It's very tiny, but from the looks, it is just as dark as the current one. Maybe it's a characteristic of this cross.

Hopefully it speeds up. My growing conditions aren't causing this, are they? I've fed the pitchers to naturally fertilize the plant... Would chemical fertilizer help? I am going to switch to MaxSea fertilizer on recommendation from an expert CP grower. It's weird how my other neps can form multiple large pitchers in less time than it took for that one dang leaf to open!

 

[roxorboxor]

I don't have any experience with this plant in particular, however I have a talangensis that I bought back in June which just put out its third leaf in my care (and a tiny little pitcher) after not growing until December. Some plants just take their time it seems.

 

[Dexenthes]

I would just give it some time. A month in the life of a Nepenthes is not very long.

 

[amphirion]

highlanders in general are slower growing than lowlanders. dont take it personally.

 

[Nepenthesis]

I don't have any experience with this plant in particular, however I have a talangensis that I bought back in June which just put out its third leaf in my care (and a tiny little pitcher) after not growing until December. Some plants just take their time it seems.

So I guess it just needs time to adjust since it's such a small plant? I guess I'll have to wait half a year and come back to it to see how it's doing then.

I would just give it some time. A month in the life of a Nepenthes is not very long.

True, but for comparison, my N. jacquelineae, which I got two weeks ago, has put out a new leaf and is about to put out another, plus it's developing two or three more pitchers in addition to the one it finished completely forming, opening and coloring in the short time I've had it. It just doesn't make sense that a plant that is supposedly easier to keep would grow ten times as slow.

highlanders in general are slower growing than lowlanders. dont take it personally.

All seven of my other highlanders are growing like weeds, especially compared to this densiflora x spectabilis. Not sure why it would be growing as slow as sphagnum, or maybe even slower!

 

[Dexenthes]

True, but for comparison, my N. jacquelineae, which I got two weeks ago, has put out a new leaf and is about to put out another, plus it's developing two or three more pitchers in addition to the one it finished completely forming, opening and coloring in the short time I've had it. It just doesn't make sense that a plant that is supposedly easier to keep would grow ten times as slow.



All seven of my other highlanders are growing like weeds, especially compared to this densiflora x spectabilis. Not sure why it would be growing as slow as sphagnum, or maybe even slower!

Sillly goose both jacquelineae and jamban are relatively fast growers when given good conditions. Just because something is a hybrid does not always mean that it will be more vigorous or easy. Take for instance muluensis x lowii, notoriously slow and finicky grower. .

 

[Nepenthesis]

Update:

Even since I started using MaxSea fertilizer, this guy has taken off! Put out a new leaf, started a pitcher quickly and another huge leaf is about to open up within a day or two.

 

[lance]

Good to hear its doing well! If it ever starts to go downhill again, I highly recommend coffee treatment... the stuff works like pixy dust

 

[Nepenthesis]

Good to hear its doing well! If it ever starts to go downhill again, I highly recommend coffee treatment... the stuff works like pixy dust

I've read about fertilizing with coffee... I don't really drink coffee, so I have no clue how to make it. What kind of coffee works best for neps? How much do you dilute it?

 

[Thagirion]

Great, glad to hear it's doing better.
I'd like an anwer to this coffee question too. Step by step since I have never seen it explained just, "I use coffee" in posts. But I use decaf, does that make a difference? Right now I'm just curious about this.

 

[Whimgrinder]

Sillly goose both jacquelineae and jamban are relatively fast growers when given good conditions. Just because something is a hybrid does not always mean that it will be more vigorous or easy. Take for instance muluensis x lowii, notoriously slow and finicky grower. .

What Dex said, plus:
Not every single individual is going to like your conditions. Although hybrids generally tolerate a wider range of conditions, some individuals won't appreciate your personal grow space and will sulk when first introduced, or fail to thrive, ever. This is to be expected. I have two clones of N. spathulata X boschiana, and one grows beautifully, producing pitcher after pitcher of great beauty, while the other makes lots of foliage but rarely pitchers, and when it does, they are of inferior quality and are small for the size of the plant. I get the impression that the sulky one just doesn't like something about my greenhouse, and its unlikely I'm going to be able to determine what that missing something is, so I will likely pass this plant on to someone with different growing conditions. No big deal.....some plants just don't like what you have to offer 'em. Some just take longer to acclimate to your space. Some never will. If, after growing a plant for a full year, it still sulks in your grow space, then its not likely to prosper in your conditions. Anything less than a year isn't giving the plant a proper adjustment period.

IMO, jumping on the fertilizer bandwagon isn't always the best "fix" for slower/sulking plants. You can push new acquisitions too much by doing this, risking fast, soft growth that is more prone to disease. Personally, I think it is best to allow at least three or four months of acclimation time before you start stuffing plants with nutrients. YMMV, of course.....this is just my opinion.