I should stay clear of the Nepenthes for a while. Maybe they are easy
and grow like weeds if you give them what they like, but that's not
my experience so far. I wouldn't buy a plant of Nepenthes. I have
germinated N. khasiana before, but they didn't make it through the
Winter (probably too cold). This year, I have germinated N.
madagascariensis, and so far so good - most are still alive, and
being kept in my propagator for Winter.
I don't know D. modesta. All Sarracenia seem good plants to start
with, and my two Cephalotus are becoming my favourites (perhaps
because they look like poor man's Nepenthes?). I was given these
plants as seedlings 2-3 years ago, and they are making good progress.
Does Cephalotus ever catch anything though? I also have a single
Cephalotus seedling of my own - the result of two packets with 5
seeds each from Rowland's in Bedford, England.
I have always had good success with CP seeds from Chiltern Seeds
(also in England) but they are not CP specialists and only list a few
CP among their thousands of species. Sarr. oreophila was a good
example this year - a generous packet full and now a pot full of
seedlings (what likelyhood of them being the true species, I don't
know).
I never expect all packets from a supplier to germinate, and assume
that all seeds were supplied in good faith. If none germinate, then
you begin to wonder, but it's hard to blame the supplier, especially
with things like Sarracenia or tuberous Drosera, which might need cold
treatment, or a lengthy germination period.
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)