Should I reconsider growing N. glabrata.

[Roman Tyrant]

So I ended up buying an N. glabrata on some bad research on my part. I heard it makes a good terrarium plant because of its size but after doing a thorough google search of message board discussions, it seems like a lot of people have a hard time with this plant. My terrarium is a 29 gallon tank that sits by a window. Said window receives afternoon and evening light. Right now I'm growing N. alata, ventricosa, sanguinea, singalana, hyrbids with ventricosa parentage, and one lowlander (N. ampullaria). Those plants do quite well.

I generally keep room temps between 79 and 81 during the summers and those temps don't really drop off at night during the hottest months. To make matters even worse, the terrarium gets about ten degrees warmer on sunny days. I'm thinking N. glabrata was a very poor choice. I already had one bad experience with a Heliamphora and don't want to kill off another plant. Should I consider trading this plant for something more suitable?

 

[richjam1986]

Yeah, doesn't seem like a suitable situation for a highlander like glabrata... But if your singalana does well, then who's to say? It will do perfectly fine in ambient humidity, so you could maybe keep the temps down better by completely ditching the terrarium (after letting the plants adjust to lower humidity). I'm sure your ampularia likes the terrarium though.

 

[Roman Tyrant]

With the exception of N. Ventrata and my Ceph, I've had terrible luck adapting tropical pitchers to ambient indoor humidity. Maybe I wasn't patient enough with my other plants. I waited a couple of months before sticking them in the terrarium but generally, they seem to have greatly benefited from greater humidity. My N. Alata's pitchers last much longer now while everything else actually began growing.

I believe part of the problem may have to do with local humidity levels that fluctuate greatly throughout the year. I'm sure that's confusing for a lot of Neps.

 

[pebes]

i doubt it will be happy in those conditions. singalana will probably decline although it likes warmer temps than the glab.

 

[Roman Tyrant]

The plant arrived today. For the time being, I'm keeping it in the terrarium next to the ventilation opening.

 

[Whimgrinder]

Night temps in the 70s? Highlanders aren't going to do well for long in those conditions.

 

[chibae]

Good luck and let us know how it does. Glabrata is probably my second favorite nep. They can be fussy but I've had worse.

 

[amphirion]

aside from cooler weather, the plant requires high humidity for the pitchers to develop.

 

[Roman Tyrant]

Now I'm starting to think the only reason my Singalana seedlings have grown is because I did the initial trade during the fall and they've enjoyed the cooler temps during the past few months.

Do you guys think I should consider trading my N. Glabrata and Singalana for some lowlanders before the weather begins to warm up?

 

[pokie22]

No pitchers here either. The corn nuts only seem to be getter fatter. Perhaps they will be ranch flavored.....

 

[Sundrew]

The corn nuts only seem to be getter fatter. Perhaps they will be ranch flavored.....

@Roman: Unfortunately, that may be in your (and the plants') best interest. I recommend raffelsiana as a phenomenal lowlander.

 

[amphirion]

@pokie: is that callus production?

 

[pokie22]

I don't think callus is forming. The corn nuts are too well shaped (cell growth is spatially organized). In addition, the bap concentration is 1mg/L which normally is much too low for induction of aberrant cell growth. The corn nuts have been growing SLOWLY for the last month and no pitchers or true leaves, besides the dicotyledons, have appeared. Any day now, I am waiting for fireworks from the high heavens.....

 

[Neps_N_Things]

One reason your seedlings may be doing well is that they are seedlings. Not sure why but young plants tend to do better with heat than older ones. You can generally grow highlanders as intermediates for the first 6 months to a year or so with no issues. Older plants can do well in higher temps for a while too before declining. I think it's mostly metabolic so just like you can survive for a while without optimal nutrition in the long run it effects you. Anyway, species are the worst in terms of temp needs. Hybrids do a lot better in general (even hybrids between two highlanders do better in intermediate conditions than either of their parents in my experience). Highland x lowland or Highland x intermediate crosses are awesome for those of us who can't regulate temps and such as well but love the look of highlanders. For example my lowii x (northiana x veitchii) is doing great with warmer temps than I would usually give my plants since it's close to the lights and household humidity. It has plenty of lowii traits without the fuss.

Also in regards to switching to lowlanders you have to be a little careful since humidity is more important for them and they grow large fast so terrariums are often just temporary homes. Finding a good long term solution to the humidity problem can mean more expensive large growing enclosures