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Flowering Nepenthes

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richjam1986

richjam1986

I can see that my N. ventricosa is about to flower (my first Nep flower!). The leaf concealing the flower stalk has not opened up yet, but I can easily see that it is a flower structure inside by shining light through the unopened leaf (there was an atypical bulge in the unopened leaf that prompted investigation--it was the flower spike!)

Anyway, at this point it is still impossible to assign a gender to the plant, but I just thought I would make the anouncement to attract the attention of anyone else who might have a flowering Nep, so that when I CAN tell what sex it is, pollen trading can occur in a timely manner. I know that pollen trading isn't always easy or successful, but I'd sure as heck like to try...

It should be opening in the next day or two so I can see the flower stalk. I'll keep everyone updated, and hopefully post a pic or two.

I know ventricosa is a pretty typical Nep, but it can make some sweet looking hybrids due to its unique features (or pure bred for that matter, for those that like N. ventricosa like I do. Just because it's common in cultivation doesn't mean its not really unique in the genus, and thus super sweet ;) ).

Until later.... Ciao :)
 
Here's a couple older pics of the plant:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/68248217@N04/6870344065/" title="076 by richjam1986, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6870344065_491fbb1247.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="076"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/68248217@N04/6949581210/" title="066 by richjam1986, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6949581210_ea7d865b2b.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="066"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/68248217@N04/6949578660/" title="068 by richjam1986, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/6949578660_dfcfc91323.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="068"></a>
 
I happen to have a male N.spectabilis at a similar flower stage as your's is...and I have a hunch that your ventricosa is a female, so if the timing works out, I can send ya some pollen.
 
Exo said:
I happen to have a male N.spectabilis at a similar flower stage as your's is...and I have a hunch that your ventricosa is a female, so if the timing works out, I can send ya some pollen.
Click to expand...

Here's hoping your hunch is right, lol :) Time will tell.
I just looked up some pics of that cross, and it's a beautiful hybrid!

Edit:
Oh, and thanks for the compliments on the plant everyone. The plant did most of the work ;)
 
Of course, the deal would be that seeds would be split 50/50 (as usual... It really almost doesn't need to be said). But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Now time to wait for the plants to grow...

Thanks for the input everyone. We'll flesh out plans soon :)

Edit: Am I getting way too excited about this? Lol. I must admit I'll be even happier if it's a female.
It's just exciting to have my first chance at trying to breed Nepenthes, which has been a goal for a few years. So you'll have to excuse my enthusiasm ;)
 
Seems like all the offerings so far are pollen (and thanks for the offers! I will consider my options carefully should my plant turn out to be female)... But in the case that my plant is male, does anyone have a female plant starting to flower at the moment (looks like you'll have a lot of pollen offers ;) )?

Also, I've heard 'hearsay' that male plants are much more common than female plants. Can anyone with a little more exprience validate that, or is that completely false?

Edit: Beautiful plant Whimgrinder!
 
In the case that it my be a male, I have three female Neps flowering, including a Ventricosa 'red' ;).
 
yea males are much more comman but females happen a lot to growers too i have a female many ppl i know have females but still males are more comman
 
Well I can see the flower spike now, and the individual unopened flowers look more egg/oblong shaped as opposed to just round, which I understand indicates it should be a female. I'll post a couple pics of it in the next day or two so others with more experience can verify this, but I think we have a female :)

Edit: looking at different pictures of nep flowers, I'm 95+% sure it's a female :)
 
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I'll have to see if the pink hybrid at Meadowview still has fresh pollen. That'll be an interesting cross.
 
See? I told ya so. :p

Actually, I cheated, I have a ventricosa that looks just like that, and is female, so I'm assuming they are the same clone.
 
Wire Man said:
Just collected the pollen of the kampotiana x (khasiana x alata) for you.
Click to expand...

Thanks Graham, that would be great! I'll probably take pollen from a few people (if willing) and pollinate different flowers with different pollen to ensure that at least some of them are successful.

Anyone with more pollen trading experience have comments on the viablility of pollen sent by mail?...
 
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