Re: Nepenthes Splendiana

dave evans (T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU)
Fri, 04 Oct 96 17:24 EDT

> From: Steve Klitzing <stevek@INFORMIX.COM>
>
> I had a very pleasant surprise this week. I have a
> Nepenthes Splendiana that decided to set two of the
> largest pitchers I've ever grown in my greenhouse.
> This is by far the most wonderful Nepenthes plant
> I've grown so far. The pitchers are really cool.
> They look like ancient greek Amphora jugs, but elongated
> ones, with small pitcher cap openings on the top of
> the pitcher. Anyway, a really delightful treat. It even
> has a smattering of red color on the green pitcher.

Hi Steve,

This plant is my absolute favorite Nepenthes hybrid. In spite
of the "incorrect" name, it is truely splendid! The coloring pattern
on mine is very much like that of N.maxima. The leaves are solid
green with faint down covering them and a thin red outline. The
peristomes have recently changed from a dullish yellow color to
a bright red, this has come with more heat and light. This one
gives me the largest pitchers too. Right now it's closing on
eight inches! I can't wait to see what it does when I raise the
humidity some more.

> Has anybody tried feeding Nepenthes pitchers with fish
> emulsion fertilizer. If so, how were the results? I'm
> considering doing this.

Sounds like it might stink! I don't really know though...
I've been using 1/2 to 2/3 strength fertilizer on the Nepenthes
lately. Their color is much improved! I just fill a quart
size spray bottle with the sol.. Spray down the plants, give
a couple squirts into some of the pitchers, usually the older
ones, and pour what's left over the plants and into the soil.
After about a 1/4 hour, I spray water onto the plants to wash
excess fertilizer off so they don't get stained by residue.
This covers an eight square foot area and I give them this
fertilizer every six weeks.

Dave Evans