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insignis and in health


Gareth Davies

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Sorry about the pun, I've been watching too much "Homes under the hammer" recently and must have been infected by the presenters.

Here's a few things that are doing well for me at the moment.

N.insignis (Tayeve) Wistuba.

Except this looks like boring old ventricosa to me.

insignis.jpg

Another one that seems to like me, sumatrana (Wistuba). It put up with all sorts of abuse all winter and took off happily in Spring. Not one that needs a lot of lowland heat to perform.

sumatrana.jpg

I can't help but post a pic of copelandii (Apo) every time I contribute anything to a forum... but it's one of the easiest and quickest for me.

cope.jpg

aristo looking hideous as usual

aristo.jpg

A new one for me this year, burkei. Not sure if I like it at all. Then again, I'm not a fan of ventricosa either.

burkei.jpg

Doing surprisingly well, deaniana (Wistuba). Seems quite quick growing and colourful already

deaniana.jpg

Here's three nice hybrids from EP, just settling in and pitchering:

truncata x spectabilis

trxsp.jpg

izumiae x veitchii

izxve.jpg

And my favourite so far, truncata x (spectabilis x northiana). This 2nd pitcher produced in my hands is 3 times the size of the previous one... I have high hopes for this one....

truxspxno.jpg

Thanks for viewing and I'll see you next time on- aaarrghhh

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Hi Gareth,

the first plant is N.ventricosa, i doubt this is a N.insignis. I am growing and propagating N.insignis for a few years and none of them does have such red coloration of peristome and pitcher.Also the shape of the pitcher and peristome is different.

This is typical pitcher of the mainland form:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/Lam_wn/f9350654.jpg

Edited by Milos Sula
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Interesting!

Is anyone else growing Wistuba's insignis Tayeve and finding it to be ventricosa?!?

I've only had this since last summer, so I can't pretend I have any long term experience of it... maybe it'll look different when it grows up.

Just got hold of BE's insignis Biak too, and read somewhere that the Tayeve and Biak forms are significantly different.

I guess it's a case of growing them- then waiting and seeing.

I have to admit, I'd read that insignis never has red pitchers, but then there's these on the cpphotofinder site:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/8880/dsc07876p.jpg

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/58/dsc07877z.jpg

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On 21/6/2011 at 8:53 AM, Gareth Davies said:

Interesting!

Is anyone else growing Wistuba's insignis Tayeve and finding it to be ventricosa?!?

Almost 15 years ago I ordered the N. insignis (Tayeve) from AW, it was apparently finished, so I got the Biak form. At the time it wasn't very clear what the two forms looked like. Many years later I found out that I actually had the Tayeve form, which is also very easy from cutting and at least for me it remained small (not a giant like in the wild). Most plants in cultivation seem to be the Biak form (EP has a mainland form which is the only giant of this form that I've seen pictured in the forums), maybe also because it's the one sold by BE (and BE too also once thought they had the mainland form, then they realized there was a mistake). All nurseries make labelling mistakes, they just have too many plants, but they always say that you shouldn't hesitate to inform them about the mistake, not only to get some kind of further agreement, but so that at least they can see if there's actually a mistake in their labelling and they can fix it. Yes, the above plant is N. ventricosa, in some way the insignis from Biak is similar to N. ventricosa (or more to a young burkei?) and the two species are in fact also genetically close, given some recent studies. Anyway, if you go here: Nepenthes Code Database and click on "insignis", you'll see more (the photo of the cultivated specimen of the mainland form is the clone I had from AW many years ago).

Edited by marcello catalano
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What the....?!

I paid £30 for a ventricosa? And then- worse- admitted to this on a forum?!

Marcello, thanks for the info, your expert opinion is much appreciated.

I'll drop Wistuba a line with a link to this thread and see what he says.

Or- Andreas- if you're reading this thread after you've read my mail, any more info for us all would be very welcome.

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I have to admit, I'd read that insignis never has red pitchers, but then there's these on the cpphotofinder site:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/8880/dsc07876p.jpg

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/58/dsc07877z.jpg

by the way, that's N. x coccinea or a similar victorian hybrid (most of them looked all the same), the photos were taken at Kew, where there's some labelling that should be corrected here and there :) ...Again, it's just a problem of having too many plants :) ...

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Ah, but what if it was N. 'Porcelain' * N. 'Mimic'?

Seriously, I think some nurseries have been the victims of collectors/traders with minimal value seed trying to get more by claiming it to be something other than what it is (I'm considering eymae, but insignis also, along a couple of others). In the end, you'll just look like an ass and probably burn some bridges too boot, so please stop :)

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I'd just like to add that I mailed Andreas, and he replied within about 2 minutes.

He confirms that it's ventricosa and he's said sorry and kindly offered to replace it straight away.

Not sure where the mixup occurred, but you can't ask for better customer service than that.

I know some CP nurseries get a lot of stick for problems (many of which are often beyond their control), but personally, I think the good ones are the ones that put things right immediately that they know about them. So, a gold star for AW for this one.

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I'd just like to add that I mailed Andreas, and he replied within about 2 minutes.

He confirms that it's ventricosa and he's said sorry and kindly offered to replace it straight away.

Not sure where the mixup occurred, but you can't ask for better customer service than that.

I know some CP nurseries get a lot of stick for problems (many of which are often beyond their control), but personally, I think the good ones are the ones that put things right immediately that they know about them. So, a gold star for AW for this one.

Indeed! Often customers prefer to spread bad words about a nursery behind its back, instead of just writing an email and ask for explanations or refund. Too bad, they would get better results.

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If it makes you feel any better I brought a BE Burkei for £25 and yes it turns into a ventricosa!! And I have had other BE hybrids/species over the years also grow into ventricosa as well! :thumbsdown:

bill

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If it makes you feel any better I brought a BE Burkei for £25 and yes it turns into a ventricosa!! And I have had other BE hybrids/species over the years also grow into ventricosa as well! :thumbsdown:

bill

Hi there,

did you write them showing some photos and asking for an explanation or refund?...

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Bill- I agree it's frustrating that these things don't turn out to be the right thing....

Personally, I think what happens is that the nurseries culture the seeds that they're given, and then release them hoping that they're the right thing- but it's a couple of years down the line before we all realise that the tiny plants we've been nurturing are all f-ing ventricosa- and I expect no-one is more embarrassed than the nurseries themselves.

Marcello- couldn't agree more- if people sent nice mails to the nurseries pointing out problems, then it would achieve far more than bad-mouthing them on forums.

My case in point here, I just mailed Andreas with a link to this thread and your comments, and he mailed back (I'm not exaggerating much to say that it was within 2 minutes) to offer me a free replacement.

It just shows that the nurseries usually go out of their way to treat their customers well, given the chance.

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Hi there,

did you write them showing some photos and asking for an explanation or refund?...

The earlier "mistakes" were from BE direct and in fairness were replaced. The Burkei came from a distributer and while BE on seeing a photo said they had never grown that form of "ventricosa" the distributer said it had come from them! And despite a looking into it e-mail never heard anything again!! Gave up after several attempts and put it down to experience!! Now all I need is a genuine burkei!

cheers

bill

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My burkei (originally from BE) came from cz plants- another nursery/ distributer that gets a lot of bad press: it's a shame, they get bad press -and quite rightly so- for selling dead Nep seeds (I've tried them, they really are dead); but then again, as a distributor for BE, I've found them totally helpful, reliable, and good prices too.

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This species has leaves that look exactly like N. ventricosa, especially the red forms (but NOT the porcelain form), although, their pitchers are a bit different, so it is understandable that perhaps there was a mix-up somewhere along the line.

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Indeed! Often customers prefer to spread bad words about a nursery behind its back, instead of just writing an email and ask for explanations or refund. Too bad, they would get better results.

I give fair traders a fair chance. So, if they send me something that is wrong then I will let them know and give them opportunity to correct this. However, I do not give those who knowingly send poor, faulty or misleading goods a second chance, I simple will never use them again.

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Hi,

I got you beat there, 50 euro. A seed-grown BE N. burkei that I got several years ago also turned out to be something ventricosa-like.

Any mishaps with Wistuba has been sorted out quickly, getting replacements. However, I don't know If they still offer N. fusca "Sarawak" as N. faizaliana. I never even tried to sort this out, since I don't think they really have the true species to replace it with.

Regards,

Christer

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Mark- well, at least I'm convinced on the sumatrana. Dark pitchers with stripey peristomes (admittedly no stripes on the freshly opened pitcher in the photo, but they get there. )

It's even heading towards the right sort of laid-back shape.

Yup, I'm happy with that one.

It's one of my favourites- deep colour and idiot-proof to grow- although I worry that there's scope for me to become a better idiot yet.

Is yours a Wistuba clone too?

To add to the fun, I have a dozen new sumatrana seedlings sprouted now- can't wait to see what I get from those!

Edited by Gareth Davies
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BTW: i am wondering if Andreas will replace the plant with real N.insignis (Tayeve) not the Biak form...?

I have found in my gallery some pictures of the mainland forms from my friend, but these are probably upper pitchers only - anybody does have picture of the lower pitchers ?:

Mainland common form:

insignismainland.jpg

Mainland green form:

insignismainlandgreen.jpg

Edited by Milos Sula
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On 22/6/2011 at 8:01 AM, Milos Sula said:

BTW: i am wondering if Andreas will replace the plant with real N.insignis (Tayeve) not the Biak form...?

I have found in my gallery some pictures of the mainland forms from my friend, but these are probably upper pitchers only - anybody does have picture of the lower pitchers ?:

http://www.marcellocatalano.com/insforms.htm

Edited by marcello catalano
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