N. sanguinea underrated?

[Vic Brown]

I find N. sanguinea is one of the most vigorous and easy to grow Neps in my collection, under highland conditions most of the year. My form, from the Genting Highlands, doesn't seem to mind a few weeks of very high summer day temps either, but does get considerable cooling at night. I guess Florida winters are quite similar to typical English summers, but even with our record-breaking summer last year (days in the 90s for several weeks, it kept growing well).

Nepenthes sanguinea 'Genting Highlands, Malaysia'

Vic

 

[eplants02]

My sanguinea is doing well. It is one of my plants producing producing the largest pitchers. I have to agree with Vic Brown that it is an easy and rewarding plant to grow.

 

[Trent]

"considerable cooling at night" , as Vic described, is key.

Trent
Boca Raton, Florida

 

[leucophylla]

How hot is a 'hot' Florida summer night?

 

[Trent]

Typically, about 80-82 F, with a drop for a few hours pre-dawn to about 77-78 F. Evening thunderstorms may bring a drop down to 74, but only for a short duration. This goes on solidly for months.

Trent
Boca Raton, Florida

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Quote[/b] (Trent @ May 28 2004,9:02)] A totally closed greenhouse with swamp cooler pads running at night would change things, but that's not how our greenhouse is designed. I know there are clones of sanguinea from lower altitudes that will take the heat-but I have yet to find them available.

Trent

Trent, I hope and pray humidity is moderate for the pads to have their full effect on the greenhouse to drop the temperatures, lately nights have been warm in the 60's but no ill effects on the highland species at all. Lately humidity has been quite higher and the pads have been not cooling to their max. extent.

 

[Spectabilis73]

You should get an aquafog... They work great from what i've heard! plus they raise the humidty, and make fog in your greenhouse! it doesnt make the foliage sopping wet!

 

[Joachim Danz]

Quote[/b] (Trent @ May 28 2004,9:02)]A totally closed greenhouse with swamp cooler pads running at night would change things, but that's not how our greenhouse is designed. I know there are clones of sanguinea from lower altitudes that will take the heat-but I have yet to find them available.

Trent

Hi Trent,

this setup won't work. Evaporative cooling only works as long as water is evaporating, i.e. relative humidity is low enough. In a totally closed greenhouse humidity will rise to nearly 100% and then no more water will evaporate - and so you'll get no further cooling from the system.

Cheers Joachim

 

[colinliew]

Hmm...I have two N. sanguineas, and oddly both have very different growth patterns.

The clone I bought from Malesiana is still rather immature and green, even though I've had it for almost a year, whereas the matured plant I bought from Cameron Highlands seems to be thriving.

The climate I experience here in Singapore is similar to what Choong experiences in KL, so maybe it's something in the Malaysian air!

 

[Trent]

Many orchid growers around here have sealed greenhouses with pads and fans. They get about a ten degree drop down at the pad end of the greenhouse. Not enough for highland Neps for sure. Because of our humidity here in south Florida, our greenhouse "cools" using convection. The floors are sprayed under the benches, and hot air is pulled out at the apex of the roof. We have a very noticeable stratification, and this definitely keeps temperatures down during the day. It is quite humid and comfortable during the day, but does not achieve the night temperature drop required by highlanders such as sanguinea. I've posted this before: the only way to get temps down into the low sixties-upper fifties degrees F at night would be to use a refrigeration adaptation.
Of course, the advantage we have here is the chance to grow specimen plants of the giant lowlanders-our bicalcaratas and merrillianas are just starting to kick in...

Trent
Boca Raton, Florida

 

[The Griffin]

I have a friend from the UK that said the same thing about evaporative coolers that Joachim did, though most of the US growers endorse them. Kind of odd coincidence, lol.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[pond boy]

Quote[/b] (AaronJ @ May 28 2004,3:44)]Here's a couple of my Sanguinea pics:



As you can see the leaf and pitcher size is increasing now that they are in more suitable conditions.  That pitcher is about 13cm (5.1").

Aaron.

Wow thats a nice sanguinea!