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How to make Nepenthes flower

So, what's the answer ??? Or more specifically, how do you do it inside (a terrarium or not)?
 
I'm not exactly sure, but I think that they do so on their own accord.
If I'm wrong someone please correct me.
 
You can't make it! It has to have very nice specifics, I believe if you can get it to pitcher, you are growing it well, if you can get it to flower, you are growing it good.

Nepenthes Flowers are only good for seeds anyways, they aren't attractive (the Nepenthes cry) haha!
 
the only way to "make" it flower is to give it perfect conditions and leave it alone for a loooooong time. Some have to be a few meters long before they will flower.

If you really want to and have a mature plant, spray it with a huge dose of cytokinins and see if that works
 
Would cytokinins work on immature plants?

I've been pondering this myself, because it would allow sexing of immature plants: use the hormone, see the type of flower, then cut it off and let it resume normal growth. If it's the sex you don't want (for, say, a hybridization project), you can sell it and try again with a new plant.

Mokele
 
How do you know if it's sexually mature or not?
 
But it only makes a flower sometimes, right? Could you just guess by how big it is if you were an expert?
 
No. Some things have never flowered in cultivation. Also, not only does a certain age have ot be met, but perfect conditions also have to exist. You could have a 90 year old truncata thats never flowered if you keep it in bad conditions
 
  • #10
I wouldn't say you have to have 'perfect' conditions. They just have to be good growing conditions.

There's really nothing to do to make an immature plant flower, but if you have one that is in the vining stage, sometimes drastically increasing the amount of light will trigger it to flower. At least, that's happened with mine before.
 
  • #11
They do not always have to be perfect conditions. Sometimes (according to some reports) a flower will occur when a plant is stressed. Maybe it thinks,"I am in touble! Better make some seed! The speices will survive!"
Some people have reported cuttings they are trying to root. Whether that was going to happen or not, I do not know. Others in plants freshly repotted.
Now, supposedly blue spectrum(ie metal halide) will promote plant growth and red/orange spectrum(high pressure sodium) will promote blooming. I know one grower who swears by it(especially with Drosera petiolaris complex).
Has anyone experimented with both types of lighting?

Cheers,

Joe
 
  • #12
I have both spectra lights in my chamber, but most of my plants are too young. I had a plant flower once right after being cut
 
  • #13
Yeppers Joe. For me, MH gives me lots of growth and average flowers production for plants like Drosera, while HPS gave me etoliated, sickly growth with an overabundance of flowers.
 
  • #14
Does pot size play a role in getting your Nepenthes to flower?

The reason I ask is I posted in another forum asking how big my N. x ventrata would have to be to flower and they said that it was most likely more than large enough. I know its enjoying the conditions I provide because it grows like a weed, however I have had it in the same 5 inch pot ever since I got it, only replaced the media once and put it back in the same pot.

Heres a pic:
nxventrata01.jpg


If you guys don't think the pot is the issue then I really don't want to repot it. It'll be pretty tricky since the plant has already grabbed on tight to the chicken wire.
 
  • #15
Hmm I don't know. I've had small nepenthes with relatively huge root systems, and I've had gigantic nepenthes with virtually no root system at all.

I tend to pot plants in pots that are proportional to the size, regardless to the size of their roots. Overpotted in other words.
 
  • #16
5 inch pot? I own those, they are quite small for a 3 foot large plant. I think the pot is way too small, but probably not the reason for the flowering.
 
  • #17
...and then there's this: 2.5(+?) yrs old; 6-inch pot. Don't ask me. I got no clue!
 

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  • #18
5 inch pot? I own those, they are quite small for a 3 foot large plant. I think the pot is way too small, but probably not the reason for the flowering.
A larger pot may allow/support/result in even more foliar growth. (I make sure to provide plenty of aeration in the soil [e.g., #3 perlite], esp. with larger pots. [I also only use net pots.])
 
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