# Nepenthes



## cpmaniac (Jun 25, 2020)

I've grown carnivorous plants and orchids for many years. The slipper orchids are getting crowded, so I have been thinning the Nepenthes collection. I will keep my favorites, such as this Nepenthe macrophylla:





It took a long time to get it to this size.

Thanks for looking and good growing,
Paul


----------



## abax (Jun 25, 2020)

That flower is beautiful and scary at the same time.


----------



## Duck Slipper (Jun 25, 2020)

Nice!
looks like to me if you stuck your finger (Or hand) inside of the pitcher, you couldn’t get it out!


----------



## likespaphs (Jun 26, 2020)

abax said:


> That flower is beautiful and scary at the same time.


It's not the flower. It's carnivorous and that's where it catches things. 
They are dioecious 
*


Nepenthales: Droseraceae & Nepenthaceae


.*


----------



## PeteM (Jun 26, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> I've grown carnivorous plants and orchids for many years. The slipper orchids are getting crowded, so I have been thinning the Nepenthes collection. I will keep my favorites, such as this Nepenthe macrophylla:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I was just about to repot some of my small Nepenthes recently acquired this past winter. Looks like they are in 2.5 inch pots and sphagnum. But I have no clue when and what I should use.

Do you follow the same procedure as orchids as far as selecting a tight pot sizes or can they be put into a much larger pot that they can grow into since they stay wet all the time? Also what medium do you use or recommend? I think I was going to try rock wool so I don't have to use moss anymore.. would you recommend any other inorganic media?! I’m trying to move away from bark and moss for as many plant as possible in the collection.
Thanks!


----------



## setaylien (Jun 26, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> I've grown carnivorous plants and orchids for many years. The slipper orchids are getting crowded, so I have been thinning the Nepenthes collection. I will keep my favorites, such as this Nepenthe macrophylla:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very impressive!


----------



## cpmaniac (Jun 26, 2020)

I don't think larger pots are a problem, but I wouldn't overdo it. I do have some pretty large plants in pots that look quite small, compared to the plant. 
Haven't used totally inorganic potting media, but don't think it would be a problem...nepenthes don't seem fussy...been considering trying a mix including Grodan Mini-Cubes 
Good luck,
Paul


----------



## tomkalina (Jun 26, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> I've grown carnivorous plants and orchids for many years. The slipper orchids are getting crowded, so I have been thinning the Nepenthes collection. I will keep my favorites, such as this Nepenthe macrophylla:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Beautiful species. Unfortunately, I think it would starve in our greenhouse.


----------



## Bugklrcp (Jun 27, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> I've grown carnivorous plants and orchids for many years. The slipper orchids are getting crowded, so I have been thinning the Nepenthes collection. I will keep my favorites, such as this Nepenthe macrophylla:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Are you comfortable shipping your Nepenthes? I may be interested in anything you are looking to re-home.


----------



## PeteM (Jun 27, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> I don't think larger pots are a problem, but I wouldn't overdo it. I do have some pretty large plants in pots that look quite small, compared to the plant.
> Haven't used totally inorganic potting media, but don't think it would be a problem...nepenthes don't seem fussy...been considering trying a mix including Grodan Mini-Cubes
> Good luck,
> Paul



Thanks for the input. Yes I have a bag of growdan that I wanted to use with perlite.


----------



## Ray (Jun 27, 2020)

I have a single Nepenthes X ventrata that I have in a plastic basket of straight sphagnum. Grows like a weed in the heat and humidity (and insect supply) out on my deck. It suffers, indoors in the winter.


----------



## KateL (Jun 27, 2020)

That’s a sweet one. I have a friend here in HNL, Dale M., who grows a lot of Nepenthes. 
I’ve tried a handful, but have not had much success, aka ☠.


----------



## cpmaniac (Jun 27, 2020)

Bugklrcp said:


> Are you comfortable shipping your Nepenthes? I may be interested in anything you are looking to re-home.


Sorry, I don't try to mail plants. I can unload extra plants at the local CP meetings.



tomkalina said:


> Beautiful species. Unfortunately, I think it would starve in our greenhouse.


I drop slugs, pill bugs and other critters I find in the garden into pitchers. Lots of salamanders find their way into the greenhouse, and unfortunately a few have been caught.


----------



## cpmaniac (Jun 27, 2020)

KateL said:


> That’s a sweet one. I have a friend here in HNL, Dale M., who grows a lot of Nepenthes.
> I’ve tried a handful, but have not had much success, aka ☠.



A friend on the Big Island had a large Nepenthes nursery, which I loved to visit. Sadly, two years ago, Fissure #8 claimed his home and all his plants.


----------



## musa (Jun 28, 2020)

The edge of the pitcher is as beautiful as terrifying...


----------



## cpmaniac (Jun 30, 2020)

Here's another with incredible teeth on the peristome and my favorite - Nepenthes villosa:





Cheers,
Paul


----------



## PeteM (Jul 1, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> Here's another with incredible teeth on the peristome and my favorite - Nepenthes villosa:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I cut my finger just looking at this!


----------



## richgarrison (Jul 1, 2020)

yawsa!!! that's amazing.... 

There's a grower of these in Tom Perlites' greenhouse outside San Fran. Amazing collection... Can't remember his name. Bruce Rogers was waxing rhapsodic about them on my first visit. i was just, and am with yours, in awe. Very cool plants.


----------



## tomkalina (Jul 1, 2020)

Great photos, Paul! Very tempted to try a few of these. Would they eat ground up hamburger?


----------



## Linus_Cello (Jul 1, 2020)

I believe ground hamburger is too fatty, at least for Sarrencia pitchers. Dead house flies I’m guessing is probably best.


----------



## cpmaniac (Jul 1, 2020)

tomkalina said:


> Great photos, Paul! Very tempted to try a few of these. Would they eat ground up hamburger?



Well, a small amount would probably be accepted without problems. Seriously, I'm real erratic with hand feeding. They do get foliar feed of Maxsea 16-16-16 a couple times a month. Also, a pellet or two of Osmocote dropped in the pitchers seems to give the plants a boost.

Cheers,
Paul


----------



## tomkalina (Jul 1, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> Well, a small amount would probably be accepted without problems. Seriously, I'm real erratic with hand feeding. They do get foliar feed of Maxsea 16-16-16 a couple times a month. Also, a pellet or two of Osmocote dropped in the pitchers seems to give the plants a boost.
> 
> Cheers,
> Paul


Good info. Thanks, Paul.


----------



## Djthomp28 (Jul 2, 2020)

That is a stunning pitcher!! 

I have one also. Not sure the species involve but it is growing very well. I need to repot and stake it. The plant has gone tall enough that it falls over when it is not hanging.


----------



## cpmaniac (Jul 4, 2020)

Djthomp28 said:


> I have one also. Not sure the species involve but it is growing very well. I need to repot and stake it. The plant has gone tall enough that it falls over when it is not hanging.



You probably know this, but you can cut the vine and root it, if you want a more compact plant. Alternately, if you let the vine droop below the pot, a basal growth will often start.


----------



## Djthomp28 (Jul 7, 2020)

cpmaniac said:


> You probably know this, but you can cut the vine and root it, if you want a more compact plant. Alternately, if you let the vine droop below the pot, a basal growth will often start.



Thanks! I have heard that I can cut and root the top, but I fear I will some how kill it. It is doing so well. The vine has started drooping and basal growths are growing nicely. Maybe I will try to root the top. It would be nice to have a division. Any tips on the cut and root process?


----------



## cpmaniac (Jul 7, 2020)

Just cut the top including two or three nodes and dip in root hormone powder, before potting in LFS. After it is well rooted, pot in your regular mix. Sometimes I get lazy and just put the cutting in water and wait for roots...


----------



## Djthomp28 (Jul 8, 2020)

Thanks! I will give it s try


----------



## NYEric (Jul 8, 2020)

What is LFS?


----------



## cpmaniac (Jul 8, 2020)

NYEric said:


> What is LFS?


Long fiber sphagnum moss - with RO H2O and high humidity, it often springs to life...


----------



## NYEric (Jul 21, 2020)

Thanks.


----------



## SouthPark (Aug 29, 2020)

Duck Slipper said:


> Nice!
> looks like to me if you stuck your finger (Or hand) inside of the pitcher, you couldn’t get it out!



That could be true. If those barbs somehow got stuck in the sides of the fingers on the way of pulling the finger (or hand) back out ------ that would be nasty. One way street or one way ticket situation maybe.

I once grew Nepenthes - in a big fish-tank to keep the humidity up. The issue was they outgrow the tank - and I wasn't going to buy a green-house/hothouse. But I do love carnivorous plants as much as I love orchids (just like the rest of you out there).


----------



## cpmaniac (Aug 31, 2020)

The teeth around the peristome can be sharp, and the species in this thread have some of the largest. Also, they are quite sturday, and if you made the effort, they could penetrate your skin. The three famous species from Borneo with very toothy peristomes are N. macrophylla, N. villosa and below, N. edswardsiana.





Cheers and good growing,
Paul


----------



## eOrchids (Sep 21, 2020)

Stunning macrophylla and villosa. Some of my favorite Nepenthes species!

Fellow Nepenthes grower btw.


----------



## cpmaniac (Sep 23, 2020)

eOrchids said:


> Stunning macrophylla and villosa. Some of my favorite Nepenthes species!
> 
> Fellow Nepenthes grower btw.


Thanks, fellow Nepenthes grower!


----------



## Kinabalu (May 18, 2021)

Paul, are any of your Nepenthes in bloom? I have tons of pollen available such as Lowii trusmadi, Spath x Eddie, and platychila!


----------



## Ray (May 19, 2021)

When I acquired my nepenthes, I was told to never fertilize it. The closest I come to that is occasional treatments with KelpMax and Quantum. It had one, very long vine the first year, sprouted three last year, allowing me to cut the long one to make it more manageable, and now it has 6.


----------



## NYEric (May 19, 2021)

Kinabalu said:


> Paul, are any of your Nepenthes in bloom? I have tons of pollen available such as Lowii trusmadi, Spath x Eddie, and platychila!


Wait, these bloom?


----------



## Duck Slipper (May 19, 2021)

Mine bloomed...and then died?


----------



## Kinabalu (May 21, 2021)

Yeah they’re pretty unimpressive blooms. Stress can cause them to flower and then die. I knew some orchid growers had neps but some of the ones on this thread are more stunning than most “pro nep growers”


----------



## tnyr5 (May 22, 2021)

Awesome growing; the species in this thread are neither easy nor cheap. Be impressed lol.


----------



## cpmaniac (May 27, 2021)

NYEric said:


> Wait, these bloom?


Sorry, there aren't any females in bloom. I don't usually attempt crosses, and frequently cut the flower stalks.

Thanks to all for the compliments and good growing,
Paul


----------



## Kinabalu (May 29, 2021)

cpmaniac said:


> Sorry, there aren't any females in bloom. I don't usually attempt crosses, and frequently cut the flower stalks.
> 
> Thanks to all for the compliments and good growing,
> Paul


If you have any bloom soon please let me know, I’m always looking for more pollen for females here. And I must ask... has your Edwardsiana bloomed before?


----------



## Duck Slipper (May 30, 2021)

Duck Slipper said:


> Mine bloomed...and then died?


The plant actually thrived outside over the summer. It vined and climbed up a 4 x 4 post and was about 3 foot tall. The pitchers were a large size. At the end of summer it bloomed. When I moved it inside it started going downhill. I repotted it, removing as much of the old sphagnum moss as I could, but they have such a fibrous root system I couldn’t remove much of it...The previous winter it did good and grew indoors, but after moving it inside it didn’t like it. And died. One interesting bit though...ants seemed to be magnetically drawn to the pitchers. The gruel inside the pitcher they were after, but many of them died in the pitcher. There was always a line of them going to it. I have watched for a Nepenthese hamata, hard to find and expensive but they are toothy cool.


----------



## Kinabalu (Jun 22, 2021)

There’s a female rajah in bloom if of interest


----------



## cnycharles (Jun 23, 2021)

Yikes! 
Wild…


----------



## Allen (Sep 28, 2021)

Expensive stuff, haha.


----------



## NYEric (Sep 29, 2021)

cpmaniac said:


> A friend on the Big Island had a large Nepenthes nursery, which I loved to visit. Sadly, two years ago, Fissure #8 claimed his home and all his plants.


Damn! Come to paradise, find hell!


----------



## SouthPark (Oct 9, 2021)

I love Nepenthes too ---- and used to grow them a long time ago. Did extremely well in big fish-tanks, but quickly out-grew the fish-tanks, and I had a constraint ----- as in no plans to have a green-house, which would very nicely support Nepenthes in the tropics here. So I only grow orchids now - which don't require a green-house in the tropics here. But ----- I love Nepenthes as much as I love orchids.


----------

