Date: Tue, 29 Apr 97 18:01 EDT From: dave evans <T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1716$foo@default> Subject: Re: Re: Nep Rajah cultivation
Hi Perry and Cindy,
> > I am looking at adding a Nep. rajah to my collection
> > Does anyone have any particular advice? Humid, not too warm?
>
> Unless you're into Nepenthes for the long haul, and have
> a _lot_ of patience, and have a well-controlled growing
> environment (greenhouse), my advice is:
Well, I have a fast growing N.rajah that is sitting a zip-loc
bag. It seems very easy too grow to me... I have had it for over
six months and at first I put in with other highlanders, but it
started to loose it's leaves. It was still growing but the number
of leaves was decreasing! When it got down to about three leaves
I transplanted it into a 4 inch pot and stuck in the zip-loc.
After only four months in there, it has grown at least ten leaves.
The newest leaf (not counting the tendril and pitcher) is three
inches long. It now has eight leaves and four pitchers. The only
advice I would give is that this species likes it very humid, moreso
than any other Neps I have grown. (But that may be from loosing
it's roots while being mailed) BTW, it is growing in a mixture
of cedar chips/peat/perlite (or sand or diatoms) at 2:1:1.
> Forget it! Stick to the Nepenthes that are easier
> to grow!
N. villosa is harder to grow, since it is from even higher up the mountian.
> Nepenthes rajah, villosa, edwardsiana, and probably others
I would think N.edwardsiana (might be subsp. of villosa, BTW)
would be similar to N.rajah, with respect to it's care.
> As young plants they're also very, very, very delicate. A
> veritable pain in the butt.
Yes, some of these plants are very delicate, but so are all
seedling and rosetted growth stage Nepenthes.
> Anyone who has mature plants of these species in cultivation
> are unknown to me (but then again, I don't know lots of
> growers). And they'll probably stay that way to protect
> what are surely very rare and valuable specimens.
Yep the N.rajah was expensive, I've traded just about half the
plants of major interest in my collection for that one. I still
owe the kind fellow plants! ;)
Dave Evans
P.S. When It gets big enough, I'm going take a cutting and see
how an established plant handles "normal" Nepenthes humidity levels.
If they are still going strong, I should have one for trade or sale
by next year at this time. Now that I've said that, I'll go home
tonight to find my sister's cat dining on it. Knock on wood.
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