Dont you just love them??? I've never been more amazed by a plant then Nepenthes. Its one of the very few that can give orchids a run for their money as far as having lots of attributes that are really cool and/or exciting.

The very idea that such a large and complex structure can grow from a thin little tendril at the end of a leaf is amazing. The sheer quantity of bugs that one pitcher can catch is astouding. The incredible growth rate when they're happy. The vibrant colors. The ease of propogating them. Their suitability for terrariums! And on and on and on. I love them.

When I went to California Carnivores, among the many incredible plants I saw (wish i would have had more time) was Nepenthes macrophylla (I think its called) and it is the COOLEST!!! You've probably seen them. They have very rigid edges around the pitcher mouths (peristome?) and along the rim are these...structures that ...well I can't describe it really. LOVE!!! Neps. Yours looks very happy and excellent.

I love your pitcher plant! It looks so happy. It looks really cool with its traps hanging close to the waterfall. Imagine waking through a far-off jungle and seeing pitchers by a waterfall big enough to eat you whole...wow...

I haven't actually seen very many neps, but I'm going to visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens this Christmas while we're in Georgia, and apparently they have the world's largest collection of carnivorous plants, so I'm really excited about seeing that! I hope they have some divisions for sale in the gift shop. . . =)

Ooooh, can I come? That's awesome, I need to go there some day...when I have money... :( Hope you have a fabulous time, it's going to be amazing! ;) Hope you come home with a ton of cool, meat-eating neps!

Sahoyaref I have a few others if you are still interested next spring let me know. One of them is huge and in need of a little trim.

If I had the room I would have more carniverous plants but my orchids get most of my attention and the best growing areas. Check out the Nepenthes Bever Valley Orchids has on their website. Nepenthes ampullaria is a really cute species that is supposed to do well in terrariums.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beaver Valley

Yeah, I've drooled over that webpage before, Mike. =) And I probably will get the N. ampullaria at some point. It's on my wish list of small neps. BTW, what is the one you sent me? I think you called it a Nep. ventra. is the 'ventra' short for ventrata, or is it a species on it's own?

It's a Nepenthes X ventrata which is a hybrid between N. ventricosa and N. alata.
The plant that I need to trim is probably another hybrid but I lost the tag and don't remember the name that was on it. It gets a lot bigger than the N. X ventrata, the pictures have gotten as big as 7".

Here is a link that might be useful: other Nepenthes

Mike, I think your other Nepenthes is a N. sanguinea.

Chris

Nice looking terr, sahoyaref! What size is the tank [know you mentioned it once upon a time but I have forgotten : ) ]?

What is the structure in the upper right of your pic made out of?

: )

Thanks, Paul. It's an 85 gallon tank, and the 'structure' I think you are referring to is a piece of driftwood. =) Just to the left of it is a plastic bag containing a plant in need of first aid.

ever see n. bicalcarata? now that's a specimen! i keep down my bug population with sundews, as me and nepenthes don't always get along...

-ming

Here is a link that might be useful:

Sweet! I love how it appears to have fangs, and the colours are very striking! I love other cps as well, but don't have any yet, so that's why I'm only raving about neps. =) I'm sure that once I have some others, like sundews, butterworts, and VFTs, I'll be quite taken with them as well. =)

Hi,

I just bought my first 2, at Lowe's. They had a display, mostly venus fly traps, but I found a "cobra" and a "red Pitcher".

The tag says to keep in a covered container. I don't have a terrarium yet, but I want to keep them in with my orchids.
My humidity hoovers around 60% ( its a bathroom) and I would mist the spagnum moss that it is planted in every day.

Should I repot, and in what?

Thanks

Sterling

If they are planted in dried or live sphagnum moss, then no, don't repot. 60% humidity is tolerable for pitcher plants. they do like it higher, so put them in a terrarium when you can get one. Make sure they are getting LOTS of light though! Neps need rather high light. The pitchers will be paler in colour if the light is too low, and if it is really too low, then the plant will grow exceedingly slowly, and the pitchers may be smaller. Oh, ONLY use RO, distilled, or rain water. All cp's are very sensitive to chemicals and minerals in the water, and tap water will burn them badly. You want to keep the moss moist, not soaking wet, but never let it dry out. It's better with these guys to err on the side of too much water rather than too little. Hmmmmm. . . also mist the foliage and pitchers, not just the surface of the moss. Other than that, you can ask/read old posts on the Carnivorous Plants forum. I'm no expert, so I do suggest that you read more before following all of my advice. =) Oh, and can you post pics? We'd love to see 'em!

Sahoy, no problems with the driftwood getting moldy?

Mingtea, N. bicalcarata is one I dream of having. Unfortunately I know it would quickly outgrow my modest space [30 gal terr]. *sigh*

Nope! It's mopani wood, sold in aquarium stores, so it's resistant to molding in high humidity. One piece (the piece you asked about) does seem to have some kind of strange white slime mold on it in a couple places, but I think it got that while in my husband's discus tank, so I really don't know what it is. Could just be dead algae residue.

My new Nepenthes seems to be in shock since putting it in my terrarium a month ago. I think it will come through. No growth but it's green. __ A picture is worth a thousand words. I'm asking my roommate to photograph mine digitally so I can post it.

Hello
I'm a new member and I just Love your plants. I recently bought some White pitcher plant seeds and was wondering if anyone can tell me how hard they are to get started. They said directions would come with the seeds but got none and cant seem to find any info out there.
I'm new at gardening as well, but have fastly fallen in love with it, so much so, my husband says our Lanai has turned into a greenhouse lol
Thank in advance for any/all help
Julie

I think you probably have sarracenia, not nepenthes. Post your question on the carnivorous plants forum. They know way more about growing cp's from seeds than I do!

I love the pitcher plants, and your viv looks awesome! Is the plant in soil, or is it just stuck in wall? What did you use as background?

The pitcher plant is in an onion bag that is holding some sphagnum moss around it's roots. It it hidden behind that piece of driftwood so that it looks more natural. The background is currently just one of those photo backgrounds (it's actually for an aquarium) that you buy at pet stores. Someday I'll change it to cork bark or something. The other plants are in cedar bark mulch, which I will also have to change when I want to put animals in there. And I've already renovated it once! =)

Thats awesome, I could have swore you had some sort of background, becuase it looks so full! Your viv is just great, we should stay connected.

Ha, I just re-looked at the pic I have posted of my viv on my member page, and it looks nothing like that now! The fern got WAY too big, so I took it out. Haven't replaced it with anything yet, so that's just a big empty space now. Also removed the persian shield (purple foliage) because it kept rotting, and the pink polka-dot plant died, and the fern to the right of the waterfall got covered in algae from being constantly splashed on and also nearly died, so I took it out too. Oh yeah, I also got sick of the fittonia (large plant on the right side) and took it out. So now I have a LOT of empty space that is waiting for me to find the right plants at Home Depot or the grocery store. It really does not look good right now. I didn't even remember it looking like it does in that pic. =) But thanks for the compliments. Someday I'll get it looking that good again. . .

Try putting in one of the thallia variety fuchsias ond reduce your water flow so it doesn't get soaked all the time. I've been thinking of building a terrerium has anybody got any specs' info' or advice on construction, I'd greatly appreciate it. What sort of critters would be suitable and happy to live in one?

I have a comment back on the subject of the pitcher plants. I just got a Nepenthes raspispina Genting (a highland species)for my terrarium but i have been concerned about giving the plant the correct temp. in my terrarium. I have heard that some nepenthes need a 20 degree temp. flux during the night and Im not sure if I can do that in my terrarium. Is your pitcher plant a highland species? Has anyone incountered this problem?

Highland Nepenthes species will not do well with hot temperatures. I would guess that temperatures over 80F would cause problems. These plants also experience cool nights that can drop down to around 50F.
The people over on the Carnivorous plant forums will be able to give you more detailed information. I am not familiar with the species you mentioned and its care may be different.

My pitcher plant is not highland (I don't think). It's N. ventrata, a hybrid between ventricosa and alata. Highland neps don't generally do well in warm terrariums though, like Mike said. Look for lowland species/hybrids.

Hey sahoyaref

That is a STUNING setup there, the N. Ventricosa looks real happy, aint it just an awsome Nep?, very tolerant and hardy to us mear mortals.

I got a young one here on my desk, its doing quite well, but would love to build a setup like yours oneday, could stare into a tank like that for days :)

Thanx for sharing

Sheldon

Do you still have the babies that you are willing to give away? I can't afford much so a free plant would make my day and week and month. I live in Ontario. email me beesensible@sympatico.ca

I don't have the baby anymore, I traded it to someone for an orchid baby. But as soon as I figure out how to propagate them, I would be glad to send you one!

SAHOYAREF
would you know what kind of nepenthes this is? mine grows outside ,hung up under the roof and does quite well. since I am ere in SE Asia ( Philippines) could it be ne[enthes philippinensis ( i believe there is such a plant). Appreciate your feed-back. By the way, do they need fertilizer? mine grows in a coconut husk basket, with little soil, perlite, a but of humus and pumice and hydrocorn on the bottom for good drainage
thanks for your help
{{gwi:567983}}

Hey sahoyaref..do u collect other carnivorous plants too? I live in alberta too...and im planning to set up a terrarium and need some help. If u can, please email me at markphoa@yahoo.com

I've read that pitcher plants need 3 months of 45 degrees... is this not the case for all pitcher plants? I would love to do a terrarium of only pitchers.

Jeff nepenthes are tropical pitcher plants. They don't observe dormancy like sarracenia.

How did you get the nepenthes up that high, mine just grow on the ground, and how much lighting is in there?

Hi
This thread is going on 7 years old lol. Don't think she posts here anymore. I don't grow neps in terrariums due to the size but you could put them in a elevated pot attached to the wall?? gary