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Hybrids vs. species

When I first started collecting I would take any plant I could get. I still own 4 of Gubler's hybrids from Home Depot. Shortly thereafter I only wanted species. Today, with more reasonable prices, hybrid vigor and interesting crosses available, I am developing more interest in hybrids. Plus I already own most of the inexpensive highland species. Two of my most interesting plants are hybrids. Probably because the interesting species I own are still small. But I still want to get a real macfarlanei as mine is looking like a hybrid with sanguinea.

Is this a normal progression in collecting? What do you people think?
 
For those of us who actually survive the learning curve of Home Depot, Lowes, etc.... and then survive a discussion forum and the multitude of approaches that appear to be so confusing, and survive our first shipments of beginner plants from the forum members - I would say so.

Some of us like to have "one of everything" (Me). Some want to specialize in a certain type, like petiolaris complex (RL.....) Other want to have a enough variety, so to have plants that look different enough from one another (Elgecko). Some just fall in love with a certain genuses, like Sarracenias or Utrics or Nepenthes, etc...
 
Is this a normal progression in collecting? What do you people think?

Yes. You are realizing that Nepenthes growing is not completing a checklist, but fullfilling your personal aesthetic sensibilities.
 
Collect what you want. There's no standard to fall inside or outside of.
 
I don't know about normal progression.. but most that have started out with the mindset, species only. Eventually see that there are a large number of hybrids that compliment each other and result in something beyond what is found among the species... Of course there are also plenty of hybrids that result in a plant without much character at all.

While fun to say ok I am going to stick to this group and this group only. I think in the end it boils down to 'hey that's really attractive to me so I am going to grow it!'

Unfortunately I don't have unlimited space or ideal lowland conditions so I have to chose my stock accordingly but overall there have only been a few instances where I have brought in a bunch of plants and not kept at least one! That includes hybrids I have carried
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Tony
 
There was a time when I wouldnt have touched a hybrid with a barge pole. That was until I saw some of Geoffs hybrids and then I got the bug. I am still slightly uncomfortable about non-natural hybrids, but when you see something like lowii x ventricosa its hard not to be impressed.
Personally I only grow one plant of each type of hybrid that I fancy (unlike species) and I do have a preference for anything with lowii in them. I also only like to take on plants with a good pedigree, B&Q type plants are anathema for me ..but then I suppose that the purist in me.
 
I started off with hybrids because I believed all the bumpf about them being so much easier to grow than species. When my species collection increased and I found many of them no more difficult (and in some instances easier), I focussed on them. If I had unlimited space, I would have a good mix of both of them. But I have very limited space, and I have a strong conservation ethos. Accordingly, I am almost a pure species person, with the odd outstanding hybrid (and in my view there aren't that many of them). I keep at least 3 of each species to give me breeding stock, plus I try to get representatives from as many locations and varieties as I can. I have aristolochioides from 2 locations, jacquelineae from 3 etc. Given the amount of habitat destruction in their native habitat, I tend to look at hybrids as being a bit like the cockroaches of the Nepenthes world.

If I won lotto and could build acres of greenhouse space, I would abe a bit more forgiving
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I did start out with a lot of species. But after growing many, I had found out that there are different clones (most are tc) that perform better than others. When you can purchase seed grown material, I believe this is the best money can buy. I would opt for hybrids because many are seed originated over species that are true and tc. Every collection should have a little of both. Species fills the gap for authentic material while the vigor and appeal of the hybrids should not be over-looked. Remember, the Victorian Hybrids are still with us today, the original species which made these are not! Today's hybrids tend to be more daring and planned. A mere hundred years from now will determine whether hybrids like Medusa and Predator will still be here with us, or will anyone want a true N. mira? Will the value of N. Trusmadiensis still be high, or like the flat screened laptop computer, be massed produced and sold at K-Mart?
Hybrids will be around much longer than the species that they originated from (following history) and in the wild (if there is a wild) these will be rare or extinct!

Michael
 
i collect what interests me. my striped veitchii is hands down my favorite nep out of any. im a sucker for showy peristromes. im short on space and am mainly sticking to pure species that i like such as veitchii and bongso but i have hybrids, my favorite so far is my jacquelineae x izumae. at the moment i am almost exclusivly looking for pure species such as hamata, jacquelineae, aristolochioides ect but like i said im a sucker for showy peristromes and i hear the lowii and veitchii cross calling my name
 
  • #10
Showy peristomes?

How about a N. ventricosa squat x (spectabilis x northiana)?
nep3045.jpg


It gets big and produces lots of pitchers like ventricosa does.

Michael
 
  • #11
Although the most striking is N. spectabilis x veitchii
Nepenthes_1_008.jpg


What do you think?

Michael
 
  • #12
Hi Michael
Very nice ,the Ventricosa squat x (spectabilis x northiana) looks superb
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Have you got many photos of your whole set up? as id love to have a look around as it were.
Bye for now Julian
 
  • #13
I agree with most of these sentiments.
There isn't really any such thing as a progression - just grow what you like and feel comfortable with (and feels comfortable with you).
There are clearly some fantastic hybrids - and to my eye many many (vast majority?) anarchically produced mediocre ones which barely if at all improve on the species.
There is such a range of beautiful, completely different species which have a 'legitimacy' and 'elegance' that I feel hybrids lack. A species evolved to do something, it has function, a proper place, a story. A hybrid is a bit of an artificial indulgence.
I personally feel a bit of a duty to conservation. I am humbled and amazed at statements of how few of some plants are in the wild, how restricted (and therefore vulnerable) they are, how few people have mature plants and how few clones there are in cultivation. I would hope to be able to in a very small way over the long term contribute to maintaining as variable a population of these plants in cultivation as possible.

Add all that up with being forced to make hard choices and I find myself growing almost exclusively species.
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] (RainforestGuy @ Sep. 01 2005,1:14)]Although the most striking is N. spectabilis x veitchii
Nepenthes_1_008.jpg


What do you think?

Michael
It looks like an emmisary, bestowing peace.
 
  • #15
I just want to add one more two cents about the keeping of species, helping keep them alive. Its a wonderful thing to do, but if those responsible in producing massed plants by tissue culture I am only for it IF the clones that are produced (and they're all the same ONE) are productive, have good vigor and are the best reprsentative of that species. I am not so keen on massed produced plants of even a rare species if they are just trash to grow and are very weak. But tissue culturing of nepenthes is not a pick the best clone type of method. Its starting from seed of unknown heritage, vigor or even true to form. If you start with one, you should do as many started as possible, keep them in vitro and grow a few of that clone out to a size that makes it worth propagating or not. Its a tedious process, but what good is it if you are producing thousands and later finding out that its a hybrid, or it has genetic defects or even a poor producer of pitchers!

Michael
 
  • #16
Those are some awesome hybrid pics further fueling my hybrid lust. And yes, I am only considering "exotic" looking hybrids, but I'm still keeping my Gubler hybrids, at least until I run out of space, which won't be any time soon.
 
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