Date: Wed, 03 Mar 99 21:46 EST From: Dave Evans <T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg659$foo@default> Subject: Re: Re: More~ SCARE~ ~~stories
Dear Marc,
> >N.b. just loves the heat. Most of the species of Nepenthes are somewhat
> >intermediate in their needs, some are not. _N.ampullaria_, _N.bicalcarata_
> >and (less so, but not by much) _N.rafflesiana_ need warm conditions all
> >the time. I've shocked my N.rafflesiana by running with it from my
> >house with it to the preheated car, inclosed in plastic, when the weather
> >was in the forties (F). It dropped all it pitchers and turned pale.
> > Any changes can shock Nepenthes,
Perhaps, your plants do better because they are outside all the
time and adapted to a much more dynamic environment??? What do
you think? I mean, I have seen Nepenthes that were growing in those
little Pot 'O Horrors just shrivel and die in a couple hours even
when the humidity level was to higher than normal humidity levels
(about 80%). I now believe that the more "soft" a Nepenthes
conditions are, the easier it is to cause the plant harm by changing
it's conditions. You think temperature change tolerance can be
affected by soft conditions too? Or maybe it's the humidity change
that comes with temperature changes?
Most people have to grow their plants in at least somewhat soft
conditions. Do you? Do you have any high altitude high-land Neps
growing out there with the plants you listed? Please let us know
what other plants can grow like this.
> Well I have not gotten in a good argument in a while and I know Dave
> Evans just loves it when I pipe in.
>
>
> I really don't know what people are talking about with all of this
> Nepenthes stuff. I recently had N. bicalc, N. raffl, and 40 others
> outside in 45 degree (F) weather for 3 days! and guess
> what.......surprise, they didn't die....not even close...as a matter
> of fact the raffs all brushed it off like nothing. The bicalc showed
> some cold damage, but has been trucking on ever since. My truncata
> species plants started to grow faster.....
>
>
> As far as root disturbance...come on folks...lets get
> real....Nepenthes roots are like metal cable. I once took a plant out
> of a pot and tried to pull on the roots....they were as tough as any
> plant roots.
I can't wait to move to your town, Marc. Sounds like CP heaven!!!
> As well as the fact that I personally grow a N. hookeriana
> plant that the original owner seriously ripped out of a pot
> and handed to me (the plant didn't miss a beat).
Well, that's no suprise, low-land hybrids are very easy to grow.
I think you have very good conditions naturally and don't have
to work to supply them for your plants.
However Marc, given the temps you listed, I have to say you're
giving these plants attributes I haven't seen before.
> ...this past summer I was rooting a raff cutting in a glass of
> water outdoors, and after a wind came through the glass fell
> over....the semi-rooted cutting sat on 90 degree concrete in
> the sunlight for close to 36 hours before I realized what
> happened.....hey guess what, it is now 2 feet taller and has 6
> traps on it.....what a surprise!
Yes, and I have also heard of other stories of that are quite
amazing. One is of a clone of N.albo that came into cultivation
as a cut piece that had been pressed as a herbarium specimum. It
was pressed for quite sometime, more than a couple days. One
fellow noticed that it still looked alive and stuck it in a
glass of water and it rooted. Now, you know I call these plants?
Lucky.
Dave E
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:31:55 PST