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New to neps

I'm pretty new to neps, and I was wondering if I should grow highlands or lowlands. I'm in Central Texas zone 7, so I'm guessing lowland. If anyone knows for sure what I should be growing, then please tell me so I will know what species to get. Any help will be appreciated.
 
You will probably find that lowlands are the easiest to start off with. They grow better in warm conditions, but not much over 90°F and take temperatures down into the low 70's at night. Highland Nepenthes need cooler temperatures, down the the low 50's at night and no warmer than 80°F during the day, perferable day temps in the 70's.

N. x ventrata
N. x coccinea
N. ampullaria
N. x miranda
These are a few starters. The x means that its a hybrid of one or more species.
 
Well I am not from central Texas so I can only take a guess and say for the most part it is probably mild during the Winter and even hotter during the Summer. While temperatures are important other factors such as humidity may play a role.

Are you planning on growing them as a houseplant? In a terrarium all year? Outdoors? Indoors/outdoors as the weather permits? Outdoors in a greenhouse structure? etc etc..

Basically asking what you have in mind and what kind of conditions do you think you will have both on a short daily basis from day/night and longer term throughout the year. The more information you provide the better the suggestions will be tailored to your situation.

Tony

ps.. that green text is nearly impossible to read on a properly calibrated monitor
smile_h_32.gif
 
I am planning to grow them indoors as a houseplant. The humidity is usually 40-50% inside. The temperature stays around 70 degrees indoors. Outside temps are 90-105 in the summer, and 50-25 in the winter. The second number of each set rarely happens. The room it will be in has two skylights so it will get alot of light. Is there any other information that will be needed?
 
I mist all of my other plants regulalarly. But they are inside my terrarium. Now that I know I should go with lowlands, are any of the neps in my wantlist highlands? My Wantlist If there are any highlands I will take them out. Thanks.
 
If you want to grow them as house plants, i suggest highlands. Ventrata, khasiana and Maxima are easy highlands. I doubt its 90 degrees in your house, so highlands are the best way to go.
 
OK I'll start with highlands and if I succeed i'll try lowlands. I already have a ventrata and a khasiana x ventricosa, so I guess highlands are fine here.
 
I would just like to interject that x ventrata is actually a hybrid of two highland species. Though it is tollerant, I'm not sure how well it will fair through your summers....Unless you run the a/c at night.

x Coccinea, on the other hand, is a sturdy lowland hybrid. You could also try N. truncata (if you have space.... it gets rather large) or N. gracilis. These are forgiving lowland species.
 
  • #10
Is a daily misting good enough with that low of a humidity?
I would think not, but some of you know better than I.
Otherwise, lowlanders could grow outside for you for much of the year and then be brought in for the cooler months.
Intermediates would work indoors-ventrata and khasiana x ventricosa are very vigorous hybrids and I can't think of a better pair off the top of my head to try. Some N. alata forms are intermediate and pure N. ventricosa is along thos elines too. Somebody already mentioned truncata...I have read in several threads where the more common lowland form seems to be tolerant of cooler conditions.

Cheers,

Joe

Cheers,

Joe
 
  • #11
Before you go too crazy, try the ventrata. If you can get it to grow and pitcher, then try some others. The ventrata is very tolerant. We grow it here in south Florida as a lowlander during the summer, and an intermediate highlander in winter.

Trent
 
  • #12
Anyone want a ventrata, PM me. I have about 6 of them
confused.gif
don't ask.. one of them went basal crazy...
 
  • #13
Wait a minute, there's intermediate neps too? What are the conditions for them? Would they be good for TX?

P.S. Sorry Amateur_Expert, I already have 3 ventratas.
 
  • #14
Warm days.. 80-85, and cool nights low 60s and you can grow about 80% of the Nepenthes species out there without too much difficulty. Provided other environmental conditions are suitable as well.

Generally I consider lowland plants anything that wants to be kept hot and humid all the time and if you deviate from that the plants react badly. Highland plants.. cool and humid etc.. and everything in between which falls into intermediate and fits the bill for the range I gave above.

Tony
 
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