[MPandini]

Hello, friends!

These are some selected pics of my authentic Nepenthes alata "lowland" (not the N. x ventrata...), growing free in my tropical region, here in Brazil. I hope you enjoy them!

Click thumbnail to see large size:









[img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_21_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_22_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_23_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_24_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_25_thumb.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_26_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_27_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_28_thumb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z223/mpandinipp/nepenthes/gal_n_alata_29_thumb.jpg[/img]

[V.J.Treasure]

Very nice plant, I wonder if one can grow it cool intermediate... :)

[obregon562]

you lucky lucky Brazilian! i can grow sarracenias outside here, but, wow, neps outside like that...im VERY jealous! great job!

[vraev]

wow! that is magnificent. Even though a common alata, that is a beautiful nep. :) What is that pot you grow it in? looks really nice.

[aristolochioide]

wow those are really awesome i wish i had a good natural habitat to grow them in here!

[TwoTon]

V.J.Treasure: I grow a few outside all year, they can deal with temps down to 5C and up to 45C (full summer sun), so yes, intermediate/cool is definitely possible.

[V.J.Treasure]

Thanks mate, I will try it out

[sarraceniashawn]

Im glad I live in an area where I can grow alot outside year round. I can grow most drosera, highland neps, heliamphora, cephalotus, sarracenia, darlingotonia, and sarracenia outside year round. It helps considering the fact that I have to share a room with my little brother so I only have room for my one tank.

Very nice plants!

[MPandini]

Hi! Thanks a lot to everybody!

... What is that pot you grow it in? looks really nice.

The pot is really nice, mostly covered by moss...!
This pot (32 cm external diameter), called "xaxim" (pronunced "sha-sheen") is a rarity, and it only exists here in Brazil. It is made with the large stem of a giant fern called "samambaiaçu" (Dicksonia sellowiana), from the temperate "Atlantic Forest" (south region of Brazil).
Its excessive and predatory extraction in the past has proceeded the risk of extinction of this species, and nowadays, this is prohibited by federal laws.
I use some of them, aged and preserved, with more than 20 years old, specially to my little Nepenthes collection...
And now, some rare images of a still not used "xaxim" pot, with details:







The moss grows naturally with the humidity, ... and some time!
Hugs!

[Mikei]

that nepenths is awsome!!!

[vraev]

I love that pot. Would love to grow my rajah in there.

[MPandini]

Yes, it's very good to grow all Neps!

[TwoTon]

Xaxim is going to be outlawed in the EU and many COmmonwealth countries, due to the fact that the extremely slow-growing tree ferns are endangered by the xaxim industry.

That said, I also use a few of these pots, as they look fabulous once grown over with moss and stuff.

However, I don't find them airy enough for Nepenthes.

[vraev]

well...I personally just love moss. I infact grow just a 8 inch pot of moss becos i love it ... I always wanted to have some nice thing like that which would grow moss over it and also house a nice carnivorous plant.

[MPandini]

... However, I don't find them airy enough for Nepenthes.

Well, I don't have problems with them. It depends on the substract: I use mostly "coco" fiber (sold in EU as "Cana Coco"), pinus bark (used in orchids growing), and others wood fibers. We don't use peat here in Brazil.
Because this, the substract is always very airy. No problems with the pots.

[MPandini]

... I always wanted to have some nice thing like that which would grow moss over it and also house a nice carnivorous plant.

Yes, you would love to use the brazilian xaxim pots. But, nowadays, it's almost impossible, unfortunatelly... Federal laws protect the extraction, even so in a few quantity...
There is a new product here, made with compact coco fibers, using an inert resin to glue them. It's very nice too, and I think it is able to grow lots of moss. I'll post its image soon!

[TwoTon]

I think it isn't unfortunate at all. I live on the edge of a National Park that's full of majestic tree ferns. I'd rather use coco fiber pots so these guys can live another few decades. They've been around for ca. 380 million years, way before grasses and flowering plants, and wayyyyy before US, so let's give them the respect they deserve :-)

[MPandini]

Yes! Preservation rules!!!

[vraev]

yeah! I don't mind using coco fiber pots. :) As long as moss would form over them.

But yeah...lol! don't worry...I am always pro conservation....I am not going on a hunt for xaxim pots ! I rather prefer the real tree living than me growing something on its bark. :)