'Some' N. Questions

[Phyrex]

Hi, I bought a Nepenthes Alata 2 months ago. Costed 17 Euro’s and (thus) is pretty big. ^^

It’s doing really great as far as I know. When I bought it, it had and still has 5 large upper pitchers.

Here’s how it looked 2 months ago:

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/PhyrexianIV/N.Alata.jpg

(Will make some new pictures soon)

However, the first week to month 2 of the 5 pitchers lids went to dry(/die) out and one pitcher completely dried out till half way of the pitcher’s back.. I cut off the whole lid of the other one just before the spur/neck and the “rot” seems to have stopped there. It’s another month later after that and both pitchers never showed any further drying out process.

Question 1) What caused this drying out?

My guess is either the pitchers reached their max lifespan or more probably, they landed directly in a new environment with all new conditions so it decided to reabsorb (?) precious nutrients?? :)

2) Did cutting of the lid before the drying process reached the peristome help save the lower area of the pitcher part or was it ‘luck’?

3) The half dried out pitcher seems ok now. But does it still function or won’t it secrete digesting fluids and reabsorb nutrients anymore?

4) When ‘feeding’ your Nepenthes, what’s better: A: Put 5 insects in one pitcher so it makes more digesting fluids which affects all 5 preys. Or B: put one insect in each of the 5 pitchers?

Maybe a stupid question dunno. :) I know a Dionaea can blacken & rot when all traps are stuffed at the same time, so can you overfeed a Nepenthes also with bad consequences. ^^

5) There are too plants in the pot. Are these connected with each other and share ‘resources’?

Or should I feed a pitcher on each plant :> (If answer on 4 was B.)

6) This month I noticed an explosive growth of lower pitchers. The first ones on the plant actually and they are all on one side. It looks to me like there’s a 3rd plant growing. Is this the case?

Or are lower pitchers normally only formed when the plants feels optimal for example? (2nd month had like 300% more growth then the 1st)

I also see the first new upper pitcher forming that’s actually gonna grow mature.

Oh and by the way, the lower pitchers are still very very small, the second one (Of the 8 total now) was already twice the size of the first one though... (But the ones after that still relative small)

7) If it’s another plant.. Should I divide it or let it stay in the pot. It’s getting reasonable crowed then I think but I don’t know if this is good or bad for the plant.

How big should I let the plant grow anyway?

8) I never misted the plant, would it benefit a N.Alata by doing this a few times a week?

9) I Noticed a little ‘leaf rot’ on very few leafs (Small gabs missing sometimes, like an insect ate something out.) Is this common, or due to sunburn/not enough watering or to few humidity?

Excuse me for the most likely silly questions. It’s growing fine but I just want the best for my baby. :>

Thanks in advance!

[Guest Sheila]

I am no expert on Neps, but first your plant is identical to one I bought around two years ago as N. alata. It has been identified as N. ventrata a hybrid of ventricosa and alata.

It sounds to me as though your pitchers were just suffering from normal old age. I don't know why they only die half way, but mine do exactly the same and are always in high humidity. I doubt whether they are effective for trapping insects once they get to this stage.

You will probably find that the two plants are attached to the same rootball, but the only way to be sure is to repot it and see if they can be seperated. I should think if you do seperate them they won't look as good as they do with the two together. If they are looking cramped in the pot I would be tempted to just put them into a bigger one.

It is always good to spray Nepenthes, they love humidity. :)

[Tony]

N. Ventrata is correct.

1. Probably a combination of adjusting to a new environment and pitcher age.

2. no.. if the drying stopped then it is more likely adjusting to environment. Usually the lid is the first thing to dry in this circumstance. The pitcher part is more resilient. If it was age then it would have continued regardless of removing the lid.

3. The pitcher will continue to absorb nutrients from the green lower section.

4. Spread them out.. overloading a single pitcher can cause it to rot.

5. Might be two plants.. might be one plant with multiple growth points.

7. Don't try dividing it.. you will damage alot of roots and set the plant back. When the vines get too long cut them back. You will get new shoots from the bottom section and you can make new plants from the top sections. Just repot into a bigger pot when needed.

[Simon Lumb]

Hi,

Yes I agree with the other guys, its definitely not N.alata. There are lots of mass cultivated plants circulating at the moment described as N.alata, there were some at the UK CP meeting last week. Very few of these plants are in fact pure species.

[SydneyNeps]

I agree with Tony - I would hazard a guess that the pitchers started drying off after being disturbed by being in a shop and then being moved to a new environment after you bought it. Nepenthes hate being moved and touched - as Michael Catalani says, Nepenthes are not "touchy feely" plants.

As they senesce, pitchers go brown to about half way. As Tony states, the bottom half still keeps absorbing nutrient, which means its a good idea to leave old pitchers on the plant until they turn completely brown.

And I don't really agree with the comment about misting Nepenthes - too much moisture on the plant in cultivation can lead to rot. Humidity is sufficient, and humidity does not need to be very high in cultivation for the same reason. Nepenthes are different from sarracenias in that they do not like to be wet, merely damp will suffice. Overall, they are pretty touch plants.

Cheers, Hamish

[Phyrex]

Thanks for the replies guys. Helped a lot.

Yeah I kinda knew it was most likely not a real Alata, but I only have CP’s for 3 months now and this is my first Nepenthes so it’s more of a try-out.:) Once I have the right equipment and knowledge I’m gonna go for a N.Bicalcarata. o/

By the way, one of the stems splits into 2 separate stems on top. Is this normal/happens often? :o

Also, like I stated, my lower pitchers are pretty damn small but the plant is making a lot of ‘em at the moment. How big (% of upper pitcher size) can they grow and when can I expect to have them like that? :>

[Tony]

Thanks for the replies guys. Helped a lot.

Yeah I kinda knew it was most likely not a real Alata, but I only have CP’s for 3 months now and this is my first Nepenthes so it’s more of a try-out.:) Once I have the right equipment and knowledge I’m gonna go for a N.Bicalcarata. o/

By the way, one of the stems splits into 2 separate stems on top. Is this normal/happens often? :o

Also, like I stated, my lower pitchers are pretty damn small but the plant is making a lot of ‘em at the moment. How big (% of upper pitcher size) can they grow and when can I expect to have them like that? :>

N. Ventrata is practically bombproof. One of the best for starting out and performs in lots of different environments. N. bicalcarata is more tempermental and not very difficult but does require higher humidity and very warm temps. My recommendation is evaluate your growing conditions and research for plants which will do well in them. Once you start getting plants which require environment changes.. things can get much more complicated.

Sounds like your plant is making some basal rosettes and producing some smaller lower pitchers. This is common for Nepenthes once the vine reaches a couple feet or so. There is no standard rule here however. The lower pitchers should reach the size of the upper pitchers in short order. The basal shoots will probably also start into a vining phase fairly quickly and move into upper pitcher stage at that time.

Tony

[Phyrex]

Got a new question:

1) Can it be benefitial for the plant to cut of certain pitchers?

Like I said, my N. is making a huuuuge amount of new lower pitchers and they are all quite small...

2) Do I need to let them develop in order to get bigger ones eventually or if I cut them off, do they still "grow geneticly" so to speak.

[Tony]

Cut off existing pitchers thinking this will force the plant into making bigger ones next?? Not sure where this myth started but it's pure nonsense. They will get larger as the plants grows and makes larger leaves.. Best thing you can do to help, is to feed the existing pitchers periodically so the plant grows big and strong.

Tony

[Phyrex]

Cut off existing pitchers thinking this will force the plant into making bigger ones next?? Not sure where this myth started but it's pure nonsense.

No not really 'force' the plant making bigger ones. But cutting of the 'smaller useless' pitchers *before* they develop will save the plant energy right? I rather prefer the plant used this energy to create other pitchers. Ones that might be bigger...

I was assuming this 'energy saving' was true, therefore my question:

* Is cutting of more benfitial then keeping them? (Extra photosynthesis)

Sorry for the misunderstanding. :)

[D. Truesdell]

The plant in its own time will make big pitchers for you. The smaller ones are on the plant for a reason! It is trying to catch some food for growth.

The energy saving myth is completly absurd. All you are doing for the plant when it is forming a new pitcher is wasting energy it has already put into the pitcher bud. It will take that much more time to make another one.