Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 17:47:19 +1200 From: Andrew Broome <broome@manawatu.gen.nz> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2239$foo@default> Subject: Re: nep terrarium
Dick said...
>You can grow nepenthes in terrariums!
Sure can, that's how I grow all but two of mine.
> Those that had responded to you are probably thinking of
> lowland neps which does have a tendency to be fast growers.
If you start off with small plants though and don't keep them
*too* hot then they should last quite a while before they
get too big. I'm growing both highland and lowland Neps
in tanks (in my tanks lowland = constant 25 - 28 C, highland
= varying with room temp and lighting over the course of the
day and year).
For me lowland plants like N. rafflesiana, N. x hookeriana,
N. x wrigylana, N. sanguinea x N. albomarginata seem to have
done very well over the last 12-18 months and are not too
big for their 18inch tall tank yet. Others that I got as
snaller plants (ex tissue culture from Malesiana - excellent
plants BTW) are also doing well but I can't see them outgrowing
the tank for a couple more years yet. By then it'll be either
time to make some cuttings (disassemble them for parts), give
them away or swap for more seedlings. Even supposedly fast
growing species such as N. bicalcarata and N. mirabilis should
be containable for a couple more years anyway.
I've had my highland plants for 3 or 4 years and while a couple
of the more vigorous ones (N. ventricosa, N. maxima, N. sanguinea,
N. khasiana etc) have had to be cut back other slower species
and hybrids are growing nicely but still have room (this is
a bigger tank 48 x 24 x 24 inches).
> Have you considered growing highland neps?
As you say, if you pick the right species and have a decent
sized tank - you should be OK for several years.
Anyway, my point is, Neps can be grown in terraria at least in
the short to medium term but it will depend on if you want
big mature upper pitchers or what...
Some photos of some of my Neps can be found in the 2000 April
- Nepenthes album of http://photos.yahoo.com/ajbroome. In
other albums you can see some of the photos taken on my recent
trip to the US (including the ICPS conference). Albums with 'CP'
in the title would probably bear investigating :)
BTW: Phil Faulisi, if you're reading this - I haven't uploaded
any of the photos we took of your collection but can do if you'd
like. Tom Massey, that goes for you too...
Later,
Andrew@home.
*NZKA 137, NAKA 5, AKA 07212, PNAS, NZCPS ...
* Degeneracy can be fun, but it's hard to keep up
* as a serious lifetime occupation.
* Robert M. Pirsig (ZatAoMM)
*Killies: Ducatis: Reptiles & Amphibians: Carnivorous Plants:
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