Re:N.macfarlanei

Alastair Robinson (100611.1627@CompuServe.COM)
21 Dec 96 20:37:46 EST

Dear Christoph, I wouldn't assume too quickly that the poor health of
your plant is due to lack of a certain nutrient - N.macfarlanei for
example, is the fussy one among West Malaysian Nepenthes and how easy it
is to cultivate can depend on its original site of collection.
This can be seen in a comparison between those collected on
G.Ulu Kali
and those collected from G.Tahan, which is the highest peak in the West,
situated in Pahang Darul Makmur. Those from Ulu Kali are, in the wild,
subject to a significantly warmer climate than those on Gunung Tahan,
and the relative sensitivity of these separate lineages with regard to
conditions under which they are cultivated is remarkable. The G.Tahan
lineage would probably not live past a few days at temperatures above
about 24 deg.C (Of course, this will vary with humidity, tolerance being
higher as the air becomes more saturated) whilst those from G.Ulu Kali
will tolerate a few degrees higher. The same can be said for both other
highlanders, though they will tolerate warmer temperatures all round
than the latter.
Nevertheless, N.macfarlanei is REALLY picky; either happy or
dying.
Through the winter, at about 22 deg. C, mine will grow, at a moderate
rate, pitchering and increasing in size steadily, whilst in the summer,
at about 26 deg C it goes lethargic and produces thick, dark,
pitcherless leaves and may yellow if humidity falls below 80%-ish - the
summer is its decline and it would die in a matter of weeks if winter
did not happen along on time.
Of course, this mightn't apply at all and maybe the
D.melanogaster will
work a treat! - I have an 'unsolvable' problem with N.khasiana - it
won't grow at any temperature or moisture levels, and I've tried orchid
and peaty composts. It has had three and a half leaves for two years,
but it isn't showing any signs of leaving and I have given up on trying
to coax it into growth - everyone is always going on about how vigorous
it is..!

Best wishes and Season's Greetings,
Alastair.