Highland albomarginata ??

[Phil Green]

Whilst browsing bobs site, I discovered that Malesiana Tropicals have a N. albomarginata from Cameron Highlands listed - but no pic . Does anybody grow this form :?: especially anyone in the UK Under what conditions are you growing it :?: How about posting a few pic's.

A highland form of albomarginata sounds like just what I'm after. Are there different coloured forms from this location as well. I prefer the black to the red or green types.

Any info appreciated.

[flycatchers]

Hi Phil,

I have been growing two forms of N. albomarginata Red & green (though that looks red as well!!) in my highland house. They are for the moment growing quite slowly and the bigger of the two has yet to pitcher. But neither showed any of the stress I have seen on other lowlands that I have tried unsucessfully to overwinter outside. So working on the theory that they are more Intermediate than lowland. Of course the mild winter might have helped??

cheers

bill

[Jimmie Hansen]

They are intermediate and prefers to be grown as such. Mine died from some kind of fungi a while back. It hated my lowland conditions.

It should grow in highland conditions and lowland conditions so maybe I just had a bad clone.

[Rob-Rah]

It needs loads of light. Perhaps lowland condtions in greenhouses are frequently too shady (as befits most lowland neps).

[manders]

I have the red variety, and it needs sunlight. I've tried it in a terrarium and in a geenhouse, it grew best in the unheated greenhouse in full sun (summer).

[Phil Green]

Thanks for the replies. But unless I'm mistaken (which I could be) most of you seem to refering to the standard Lowland form . I'm asking after this specific 'Highland' ? form.

[kltower]

Hi Phil,

I don't have any Cameron Highlands albomarginata. But I have seen other nepenthes growing in CH and Genting Highlands. I have also seen albo growing in Bukit (Hill) Keladang. At BK, albo grows from 650m upwards. On this hill and on other highlands, the ground are very wet and receive alot of rain and clouds cover. Day temp can be around 25 C (in shade) and drop to 22 C at night. So, I guess that's spring/autumn weather for you.

For pixs of BK albo, check out this link

http://petpitcher.proboards61.com/index.cg...6129&page=2

cheers

Choong

[Phil Green]

Thanks Choong, thats a really useful link - just what I needed .

Some really lovely pic's. It's nice to know there are some highland forms out there. All I've got to do know is find some

. Day temp can be around 25 C (in shade) and drop to 22 C at night. So, I guess that's spring/autumn weather for you.

This year thats not even our summer temps Although I think late winter was probably not too far off that :?

[Dave Evans]

There are no lowland forms of N. albomarginata. It is an intermediate species, it occurs in an altitudinal range just slightly lower than N. sanguinea.

[manders]

They can also occur at sea level... whether this means there is more than one attitudinal form i don't know. This whole altitude way of categorizing neps is useful but clearly not the whole story. Some of my lowlanders grow faster than my highlanders in highland conditions, so clearly temperature is only part of the story, part of what makes neps so interesting i guess...

[Phil Green]

Manders, you beat me to that. I was sure I had seen pic's of it at sea level (which I would consider to be lowland), but was going to double check first - you've saved me a job

[Dave Evans]

Hi all,

Sorry about being so general... While true that N. albomarginata can be found at sea level, I strongly suspect these are the exception, not the rule. It would be nice to hear from someone who has actually visited these locations and could report what the daytime vs. nighttime temps are. Sometimes there can be decent cooling at night even though the altitude is very low. I do know that N. albomarginata likes it very warm during the day and moderate cooling at night, not the same conditions prefered by say, N. bicalcarata which prefers warmth all the time. Also, N. a. does better in slightly lower humidity than most other Nepenthes -- I do not mean it likes to be dry however :)

Manders: What species are lowlanders, but enjoy more highland conditions? I am creating a list where I break Nepenthes into four catagories: Lowland, Intermediate, Highland and Ultrahighland. I have not found the two catagories of only highland and lowland to be very useful for discribing conditions a species could be expected to enjoy in cultivation... Intermediate plants tend to be exposed more, higher light levels, periods of lower humidity; hot during the day, moderate cooling at night. N. albomarginata is on my intermediate list and there is almost alway overlap into the ajoining catagories at the tops and bottoms of their altitudinal ranges.

[Phil Green]

Dave,

This altitudinal range is why I'm looking into the more highland clones. N. albomarginata seems to grow from 0m ASL upto about 1400m ASL. Whilst most of those grown seem to thrive in lowland / intermediate conditions, my Neps (at the moment) need to survive winter temps down to about 5C - hense I'm after a clone from the higher range.

I'm just finishing a new greenhouse, which may have higher winter temps, but until it's gone through a winter I can't be sure. So for the time being I'm still playing safe. Last winter I lost a truncata, whilst the fusca alongside it was fine and truncata is suposed to be a highland sp.

As for the 4 categories, I thought Neps were already grouped into those - even if highland & lowland are the most frequently mentioned.

[manders]

Phil,

I'm not surprised you lost the truncata, it's not a highland species, at best being a lowlander/intermediate, depending on clone.

Dave,

To make myself completely clear, all the lowlanders would grow better under lowland rather than highland conditions but:--- some of the lowlanders grow faster in highland conditions than some highlanders. So the absence of these species from highland conditions might have more complex reasons.

Lowlanders that i currently have in Highland conditions (15 night, 24 daytime, 85-95% humidity) with occasional (and i mean very occasional when you think about this years weather - 37C).

Include

Mirabilis - 3 clones

Merriliana

Truncata (lowland and 'highland')

Rafflesiana

Ampullaria

Mindanoensis

Hookeriana

Bellii

Eustachya

Faizaliana

Hirsuta

Macrovulgaris

Viellardii

Reinwardtiana

The ones that do the best are Mirabilis, Merriliana, Truncata (lowland), Rafflesiana, Hirsuta, Bellii, Reinwardtiana

The problem is how do you categorize something that has a range from 0 to 2100 meters? is it lowland or intermediate or highland? How do you categorize a virtual ultra highlander typically growing at 2700m that grows absolutely ok at a constant 22 deg C for several months at a time with no problems and is now vining? I've stopped labeling them as lowland or highland and just look at the weather conditions each species is likely to get.

Another question:) why does my 'lowland' truncata grow at exactly the same speed as my 'highland' truncata in the same highland conditions?

[manders]

I just remembered something from Charles Clarkes book, the patchy distribution and upper altitude limit might be explained by a lack of suitable prey! (and not the weather conditions).

[Guest nepenthesaroundthehouse]

I got a whole list of plants that I grow or have tried to grow outdoors from temps during winter at around upper 30's F (about 5 C?) and lower 40's F with success and failure. I do grow outdoors so my plants have to tolerate lower humidity as well. Here's my take from Manders list

Mirabilis - 3 clones; definite lowlander, may tolerate 50's but with leaf damage; hates low humidity.

Merriliana; forget about it, a true lowlander

Truncata (lowland and 'highland') the highland variety does best as an intermediate, say around low 50's F. Exposure to my typical winters at 40's F stresses it out. Lowland grows better slightly warmer

Rafflesiana; best as a lowlander but can tolerate some temperature drops because of thicker leaves. Say into upper 40's F for limited time.

Ampullaria; another disaster for me. loves it hot and humid.

Mindanoensis; does best as an intermediate for me. Can take 40's for extended time but stresses. Likes it around 50's to 80's F

Hookeriana; another typical lowlander like rafflesiana

Bellii; no! looking at it wrong sends it into shock. lowlander

Eustachya; good intermediate, can take 40's during my winters but stresses and then bounces back in spring.

Faizaliana; same as eustachya, a good intermediate that can tolerant 40's for extended times but stresses big time for cool nights in the upper 30's.

Hirsuta; not much experience

Macrovulgaris; nope, go lowland

Viellardii; I have one plant outdoors that's been doing alright. Seems to be more intermediate but will tolerate 40's with some stress.

Reinwardtiana ; highland varieties yes, lowland no

Try burbidgeae and fusca in warmer temps and see what happens. I've found they don't like it as cold and seem to prefer more intermediate temps.

Joel

[manders]

Joel,

There is no way i'd let the lowlanders get down to those temps, as i said, my minimum is 15C (thats ~60F in legacy units) and the plants mentioned are fine alongside the Highlanders.

Mirabilis is interesting because it has an enormous geographic range, in hong kong for example it can go to just above freezing, clearly in most of its range this doesn't happen.

Also Clarke says Reinwardtiana grows as 'an epiphyte in tropical lowland forest'.

[Phil Green]

It's nice to know there are some highland forms out there. All I've got to do know is find some.

Just thought I'd update this post.

I've now got a MT Cameron Highlands albomarginata - Thanks Steve & Simon.

As mentioned in a recent post on MT, the plant was a little 'ropey' when arrived, but recovering nicely. I'll post a pic when it pitchers. But for now I just sooo happy to have one. It'll be interesting to see what colour form it is, as I was told they had a couple - although this CH form isn't mentioned on their web site now.

[Dicon]

I have compiled a bit of a growing table of my own species based upon mid altitudinal range and lattitude.

I also have split down temp ranges into 6 zones that I can pretty much provide simultneousely.

1. Ultra highland 5-25 deg C (orchid cold)

2. Highland 10-27 (orchid cool)

3. Cool-Intermediate 12-27 (orchid cool-intermediate)

4. Warm-intermediate 16-30 (orchid intermediate)

5. Warm-Lowland 20-32 (orchid warm)

6. Hot lowland 25-35 (orchid hot)

The reason I have chosen the mid altitudinal range is simple...this is where they thrive not just survive.