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N. inermis upper question

Nep quasi-noob alert. :lol:

I've been growing an AW N. inermis for a year or so (looked at my records - actually since Dec 9, 2010). The main vine (& the smaller basal) have produced pitchers on every leaf since I received it. Over the past two months, the pitchers on the main vine have moved slowly toward a smaller peristome and also a larger, more round pitcher shape. The last pitcher (pic below) has a small, somewhat-ragged, almost remnant of a peristome. Since this pitcher, the vine has produced 3 leaves & is working on a 4th. Not one of the tendrils is even remotely thinking about inflating a pitcher. The plant is now putting all of it's energy into vining & not producing pitchers (my aristo also did this last year when it moved into vine mode).

How does one go about getting actual upper pitchers? With the N. aristolochioides, I kind-of understood since it was temperamental anyway & didn't pitcher on every leaf but the inermis has been 100% reliable - until now. I seem to recall something that some Neps upper tendrils need to wrap around something before they will inflate a pitcher - is that true?

Suggestions, thoughts welcome ...

Ninermis-notupper101412.jpg
 
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Nice plant!

Just wanted to say that..

You give my tiny little AW inermis something to look up at! Literally.... That thing could eat mine!
 
First off, congratulations!! That inermis looks great.
I would try getting the tendrils to curl on something, a lot of neps seem to need that for pitchering. You could probably use bamboo stakes or branches for that. I wouldn't be too worried about the lack of pitchers, perhaps it needs a little time to make full uppers after vining.
 
I have no idea but it might be worth a shot to stick a bunch of stakes in there while you're waiting for a better answer? Once somebody told me (I think it was Brokken) to put stakes in my platy, once those tendrils wrapped around off shot those nice uppers.
 
That was going yo be my suggestion. I'm not a NEP expert by any strect of the*word but it would only make since that it it is a climbing vine the plant will not inflate pitchers that will topple it over without being secured. The only way the plant knows its secure is if the tendrils wrap around something. I think you will get pitchers if you give it a trellis of some kind to climb on.
 
The peristomes will vanish completely eventually it just takes time. I think the one in my old Nep collection was 2 or so before it was making true uppers. The current one is about a year old now (2011 spring Wistuba order) and not quite yet where yours is. Stuff for the tendrils to grab surely won't hurt but won't keep it from pitchering if all temps, humidity and light and moisture is good. My old one was a 2-3 foot long vine growing from a 4" net pot hanging from paper clip on some plastic chickenwire, nothing fancy! :lol:
 
My N. glabrata makes uppers without anything to grab onto. Uppers usually take a little longer for some reason.
 
In my experience some plants take a break when vining before producing uppers so just be patient for a while and give it some time
 
In my experience, N. inermis will form uppers without support, but sometimes they get a bit top-heavy and will spill without it.

0-70.jpg


(The one species I grow that seems to require support to form upper pitchers is N. hamata.)
 
  • #10
Finally, looks like the plant is going to go ahead & inflate an upper (maybe) ...
Ninermisupperdeveloping112412RS.jpg
 
  • #11
congrats Ron!
 
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