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Black nepenthes

Dear all,

Please help me identify my nepenthes, which I got a few weeks back. I need to know at least what type is (lowland, intermediate, highland) to be able to grow it properly. Until now I know that I have mine on a east windowsill, where it grows slowly. I gave as a present one also to a friend of mine, and it's standing outside, with all day indirect sun, at around 25-30*C, and it's growing better. (Just for a hint that may help)
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Thanks!
 
N. x 'Rebecca Soper'. A weedy, common, and easy-to-grow hybrid commonly sold at garden centers and other venues. The cross is N. gracillima x ventricosa, and it grows best as an intermediate, although it'll do well practically anywhere.
 
The cross is actually ramispina x ventricosa, gracillima is not exactly a common species and its relatives have often been mistakenly ID'ed as such. Past that however the parentage won't affect the growing needs, this is a very easy to grow hybrid.
 
But rebecca soper doesn't have any hairs on the lid, doesn't it? mine does
 
But rebecca soper doesn't have any hairs on the lid, doesn't it? mine does

Hairs on the lid are present on younger plants, iirc.
 
But rebecca soper doesn't have any hairs on the lid, doesn't it? mine does

Young pitchers often have hairs on the lid that mature pitchers don't.

The cross is actually ramispina x ventricosa, gracillima is not exactly a common species and its relatives have often been mistakenly ID'ed as such.

ICPS lists the parents as gracillima x ventricosa, other sources say it's ramispina x ventricosa. I trust the ICPS more, and apparently they know the breeder (Matthew Soper) and the location of origin, so I use that ID. Of course, if Matthew Soper misidentified his plant and gave the ICPS incorrect information, they could be wrong...
 
Young pitchers often have hairs on the lid that mature pitchers don't.



ICPS lists the parents as gracillima x ventricosa, other sources say it's ramispina x ventricosa. I trust the ICPS more, and apparently they know the breeder (Matthew Soper) and the location of origin, so I use that ID. Of course, if Matthew Soper misidentified his plant and gave the ICPS incorrect information, they could be wrong...
Its definitely not gracillima x ventricosa. N. gracillima is almost impossible to find in cultivation and actually looks more like N. spectabilis, almost all plants labeled as such are actually N. alba. However, N. "Rebecca Soper" is a hybrid with ramispina and not N. alba nor N. gracillima.
 
The ICPS actually had the hybrid listed as gracillima or alba x ventricosa (uncertain parentage), but they recently changed it to only gracillima x ventricosa...that being said, if the ID is 100% incorrect, then we should inform them. That should prevent any more annoying games of Blue's Clues - Guess the Nepenthes Hybrid! being played, at least with this plant.
 
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It was likely changed due to the fact that alba in the parentage would have resulted in distinctly light colored upper pitchers, but gracillima would result in speckling which the hybrid doesn't have. Uppers do, however, have the odd washed out look that ramispina uppers possess due to the blanched presence of pigment, and the right shape for that species as a parent.
 
  • #10
So we're good? Settled? It's a Rebecca Soper? :)
 
  • #11
All my Robbecca sopers are dark red not black.. But maybe that's light? Idk but the leaves look correct for the species
 
  • #12
Pitchers tend to be very dark red to maroon/black (the latter only in rather strong light).
And as for the plant this thread is about, it could be another ramispina x vent clone, but it's likely the Soper cultivar that's become so common.
 
  • #13
I agree, chances are your friend got the plant at some garden center or the like, and the only CPs they ever have are common strains from TC...
 
  • #14
I like the color of the pitchers i have 3 if them and 2 are starting to basal its an easy grower :)
 
  • #15
Now lately, for 3 days, I have a problem with it: the new leaves grew curled on one part of the leaf. and a bit black on the edge of the leaf (again, only the left side of the leaf, on each of them). The plants still brings pitchers, so i'd say it's not extremely low humidity or light. Ideas? I'll come with pictures tomorrow
 
  • #16
Do u grow in a window could be getting stunted from sun burns. Sometimes to high of humidity and not enough site movement causes some of my neps leaves tip curl and get a bit brownish on the leaf especially if it's wet for prolonged time
 
  • #17
I grow it on a windowsil, yea. it gets the same sun as a N. Ventrata, which is growing very well. It only shows a bit of lack of humidity, because the leaves are not very thick. I also have a Pinguicula Tina nearby, which is thriving.
 
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