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Nepenthes villosa

Hi to all!
In a couple of weeks I and a dear friend of mine are going to be the owner of the Ultra Highlan Nepenthes Villosa!
The Plant will be about 3-4 cm wide and potted in Torf.
I am beginning to inform me about the best way to let this plant growing.
Could you transmit me your past and actual expericences?
I live in Milan,ITALY. For people who don't know,I remember them that Nepenthes Villosa is found between 2400 mt and 3200 mt altitude on mountains!
Thanks to all about the tips! Feel free to post your Villosa Photos!
Mr_Aga
Milan - ITALY
 
Err... What's torf?

Sadly, i don't have villosa, but i do know that it needs cool nights (40s-59s) and warm/cool days (70s-80s). High humidity is also good.
 
There was an excellent article by Jeff Shafer in Carnivorous Plant Newsletter a few years ago on growing ultra highland plants like villosa. Essentially what he describes is taking a chest freezer and converting it into a large growing chamber lit with flourescent lights. This way he is able to get the temps down to around 40 degrees F at night which is important for villosa to do well.
 
ok...OPS Torf is the WHITE PEAT,sorry for my bad English,ahaha!
smile.gif

Let's wait for an expert one that already has this plant in his collection.
I would try to avoid to put the plant always out and it during the night and day.
I must realize which are the circumstances that will let her survive and give its best in my climate condition.
I am thinking to let it grow more possible outside near a wall with morning sun.
I will see....
Bye
Mr_Aga
 
I have a small N. villosa I have been growing for about 2 years now. It's very very slow growing. When I got it, the pitchers were only about 1/4 inch tall. Now they are about an inch.

It's growing in a 4 inch pot, in a very small terrarium. Since we have cool outside night time temperatures now (40 - 50 degrees F) here in Connecticut (USA), I place it outside at night and indoors under fluorescent lights by day. During the heat of summer, it goes into the refrigerator at night.

Terraforum member Philcula suggested adding small granite chips to the soil mix. So I found a small rock and smashed it with a hammer and added it to the soil mix. I do feed it about once a month with Beta fish food - the tiny BetaBioGold round pellets.

I hope this information helps. Good luck with it. I know there are other members with older plants who could offer some additional advice.
 
Hello WildBill,
NIce to hear about your experience!
With this weather I could do the same in Italy.But I must "reflect" good if to give her so much care from the beginning.
I have also a terrarium and I have a Delta of 7 degrees between night and days.This because my apartment is on the most highest floor of the house.
I wait for other tips an experiences!
Bye!
Mr_Aga
 
Here is a photo of the N. villosa I have
vill_005.jpg


thanks
-Jeremiah-
 
Hey Jeremiah!!!
Nice Villosa you have! But please tell me and us something more about how you are keeping it! Also in a Freezer?
How old she is? Let me know! Bye!

Mr_Aga
 
  • #10
WildBill,

 Are the granite chips an attempt to recreate ultramafic(sp?) soils(or a close resemblance) from Kinabalu?

 Cheers,

 Joe
 
  • #11
Phil Faulisi is a very successful grower of Nepenthes. When I first mentioned that I was getting a N. villosa, these were his suggestions:

"Nepenthes villosa is thus far the highest elevation species being found somewhere in the vicinity of 8,500-10,000 feet. A true montane plant. In its early stages it is quite toleraable of temperature fluctuations but as it matures it is very intolerable of warm days. It is best grown with day time temps in the 60 to 70 degree F range with very high light levels and humidity of 70 to 80%. Nightime temps should hover around 50-55 degrees F with humidity at 90 to 100%. The soil mix should allow for high levels of oxgen exchange. Adding pumice, ground granite and charcoal to the mix should produce great results. Try to stay away from growing in pure sphagnum due to its high water retention and need for frequent repotting. A top dressing of live sphagnum works well. A good mix is small grade fir bark, chopped NZ sphagnum, pumice, granite chips (optional), and charcoal in equal ratios. Use only the purest water."

Thank you Phil!!

WildBill
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] (The Griffin @ May 19 2005,8:53)] Are the granite chips an attempt to recreate ultramafic(sp?) soils(or a close resemblance) from Kinabalu?
chemically granite is pretty stable, it wouldnt do much of anything to change soil chemestry
 
  • #13
Hi,
I'm from Europe, and I'd never heard of Phil Faulisi.
So I Googled his name alongside Nepenthes villosa and discovered at http://www.omnisterra.com/botany/cp/list/cp00all.d/3142.htm

[b said:
Quote[/b] ] I can't grow N.villosa to save my life!
That's a bit worrying if you're relying in his advice as to how to grow it. Admittedly, the quote's a few years old, but do you know if he's had any better luck lately?
 
  • #14
That information I posted was from 2003. My villosa is doing well and it even has a basal shoot!

You could aways PM Phil directly if you had questions, his terraforums name is "philcula". I just did a very nice trade with him - the plants I received (including D. multifida extrema, N. Briggsiana, and N. rajah) were beautiful. He has a few items listed on the NASC Auction thread right now.
 
  • #15
Apologies if I sounded out-of-order. My villosa is doing well too, but I treat it differently to his recommendations, ie it grows in pure sphag with cooler overnight temperatures.
 
  • #16
Hi Mr. Aga I would concur with the post from wildbill. 60-70 during the day, and around 50 at night. over 70% humidity at all times. Personally I use coconut chips, charcoal, perlite, and a little chopped shpagnum moss as the mix, and I top it with live spagnum. I would also suggest not using pure sphagnum moss, for reasons I posted here
http://www.petflytrap.com/cgi-bin....rlhirst

This is just what works for me. Hope that helps,
Robin
smile.gif
 
  • #17
As they say, the success of a villosa grower is measured by the size of the bin their plant ends up in.......
 
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