Flowering PTF Nep?

[ritlane]

Hello all,
 I am currently growing a Nep Raf. and Nep. Ventricosa that I ordered from here about 6 months ago.  These plants are quite a bit smaller than the ones that I have seen flowering pictures of.  I was just curious if anyone has had any neps they ordered from here flower, and how long did you grow them for it to happen.

I realize it will probably still be quite some time, but I am just curious about how long it might take.

Thanks,
---Lane

 

[mindmaze128]

In 4 words: don't hold your breath.  

Neps take a few years to get large enough to flower, and the PFT neps are fairly small, so I think that you are looking at 1.5 years or more before you can expect to see a flower stalk. However, I've heard that there are ways to persuade a younger nep to flower. gr8oz told me that he managed to get a N khasiana plant to flower by basically "mistreating" it for a while (correct me if I'm wrong oz

). I think that flowering in this case is a last resort for the plant to spread it's genes before it dies. I wouldn't try this cruel method, and I don't really how Oz came up with that idea, but if you feel daring, do it at your own risk (or at least the risk of your plant).

BTW: None of my neps have flowered yet, but I think that my info is fairly accurate. Also, I've had my PFT.com raff for close to 6 months now, so I guess we might get them to flower within a few months of each other.

 

Joel

 

[ritlane]

Well,
  I don't think it would be possible to mistreat this Ventricosa more....

This plant was my roomate's attempt to "get into" these plants.  I helped him get all set up, and made sure he knew everything he needed.  I then went away for the winter and left him to his own devices.

When I arrived back, the plant had not beed watered for atleast two weeks (it was just soaked with tap water before everyone went on break)  The leaves were dry and drooping.  The peat had the consistency of styrofoam.  It was so dry it actually repelled water!

I was about to give up on it, but I decided hey why not?  I ran it under (tap) water for 5 minutes to get the soil wet.  I then flushed out the soil with distilled water.  I put it in my terrarium with high humidity with a "let's see" attitude.  To my surprise, it eventually rebounded and was producing 2.5-3 inch pitchers about 2 months later.  This looks pretty impressive on the smaller Ventricosas here.

Moral of the story: These things are pretty tough, don't give up on them.



---Lane

 

[Guest]

Most plants that come out of culturing aren't that big/old...

I have had some plants for 2+ years and still haven'flowered.

My exp. is that the plants will flower around 2 years...so that would really leave about a 1- 1 1/2 years to produce any flowers.

But I do think it also depends on the type of plant....

Tony, Martin, Gr8 Oz are terrific with Nepenthes...

send them a PM ( private message ) and ask their opinion on it. I am sure that they can offer a great deal of information for you. ( they have been growing them a lot longer than most of us

)

 

[Statik2426]

If your growing CP for the flowers, your growing the wrong plants!

 

[Joachim]

It depends on the species of Nepehtes you do grow. There are big differences in time needed to reach flowering size. Normally they do first have to climb befor beeing able to flower. N. ventricosa is one of the fastest beeing able to flower after two years and for example N. rajah is one of the slowest needing more than ten years. As a rule of thumb slower growing species need longer to reach flowering size.

Ah and don't expect the flowers to beautyfull - my male N. ventricosa flower smelled like some old fungus lying around...

Joachim