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I feel sooo guilty

chibae

An orchid fancier with a CP problem
I have always considered myself somewhat of a species snob. Although there are certain crosses that have, shall we say, "a certain naive charm but no real muscle", 95% of my collection are species.

But I have found myself growing more and more entranced with my bellii x aristo. I think my only neps I enjoy more are my hamatas and my amp. This nep is my second aristo cross and I find myself wondering if there are other bellii crosses out there I might like as well.

How could this have happened? I feel so guilty. Any suggestions?
 
I, too, was also more interested in species rather than hybrids when I first started the hobby. However, I always found it difficult/expensive to develop a large collection of pure species - many were unavailable, expensive, or hard to locate in general - plus many seemed to require more exacting conditions than I could provide living in the desert without breaking the bank. Hybridization lets me keep a lot more plants in intermediate conditions without the plants suffering.

Also, being on a serious plant budget (saving for a house/wedding simultaneously), hybrids allow me to attain the look of the species I desire without breaking the bank - I simply can't afford to ship a hamata or an edwardsiana from germany, but I am perfectly happy with something like my hamata x burkei or my singalana x spectabilis.
 
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It happens when a hybrid is just plain gorgeous, can't be helped. ???
 
I have always considered myself somewhat of a species snob. Although there are certain crosses that have, shall we say, "a certain naive charm but no real muscle", 95% of my collection are species.

I see a Rocky Horror quote! lol
It is that time of year . . .
;)
 
Lol i noticed the quote too! Since I'm in witch city (ahrg..) i would prob be shunned if i didn't since they host the movie in salem cinema every October lol lol!

I too am a species snob when it comes to Neps.. But i find myself more then happy to have a cross of certain plants that have my favorite traits in them like singalana, ramispina, reinwardtiana, mikei..etc..etc i really like the look of Long Dark pitchers with a not so dolled up but not too bland perisome..idk why they always catch my eye
 
I see a Rocky Horror quote! lol
It is that time of year . . .
;)
Once upon a time, in a forum which shan't be named there lived a board for bonsai. I started a thread on said board entitled "Moles in Winter". By the thread's end the entire show had been quoted line by line and we started to go into Shock treatment.
Unique thing is, the thread had been started with a serious question and took more than a page to change into a RHPS tribute.

And NO WHERE is there a specialty or "corner on the market" so to speak for this movie around Halloween. It is universal and totally unrelated to the history of some misguided religious idiots who believed trouble making teens over sensible women. If anything a shout out should go to Knotts Berry Farm who had sponsored a 24 hour television RHPS marathon every Halloween
 
I never understood why some peoplke are so vigilant in only collecting species. You do realize those supposedly "pure bloods" are very likely just other hybrids from plants that are now extinct? They didnt get to where they are today by selectively breeding in nature, thats not how it works :p
 
I never understood why some peoplke are so vigilant in only collecting species. You do realize those supposedly "pure bloods" are very likely just other hybrids from plants that are now extinct? They didnt get to where they are today by selectively breeding in nature, thats not how it works :p
tell that to the seperate species of lions and tigers and bears
 
I never understood why some peoplke are so vigilant in only collecting species. You do realize those supposedly "pure bloods" are very likely just other hybrids from plants that are now extinct? They didnt get to where they are today by selectively breeding in nature, thats not how it works :p

While its true that the concept of "species" is a mutable and fluid thing (in all genera, not just Nepenthes), what growers typically value is: a species as a snapshot of their state at this moment in their evolution, and its a snapshot that remains viable and meaningful for the life of the grower. So although individual plants or colonies are far from static in nature, and viewing them through the lens of Big Time blurs the definition of "species", their fluid nature isn't important in context of the grower and the limited window of time in which he may enjoy cultivating the plants.

I myself am far from a "species snob" - a beautiful plant that performs impressively is something I appreciate, whether man-made or naturally-occurring - but I do imbue the Nepenthes species I grow with greater value, as they inherently represent something From The Natural World, not something manipulated by the imagination of man.
 
  • #10
I too have an outright love of species, however also rich hybrids.
The purebreads are my favorite because they are overall the most consistent with
their traits, be it teeth, color, or whatever. I have yet to find a species I dont like!

Not that there is anything wrong with hybrids, but it just seems that MOST
hybrids are extremely lackluster compared to that of the set species. Im Not saying
hybrids are inferior, however when the gene pools get mixed it tends to drown out or blot
what makes each species so spectacular. (Hamata hybrids for example) But this also leaves
room for even MORE spectacular crosses than the species themselves. I enjoy searching for
unique hybrids that many have never seen however it seems that most hybrids are either sub par,
or beyond exceptional.
 
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  • #11
They inherently represent something From The Natural World, not something manipulated by the imagination of man.


Ive never seen it that way before, I think thats a lot more understandable.
 
  • #12
Personally I value my plants for specific traits, and while that does mean I have a preference towards species there are some hybrids that surpass any of the species in my collection in some areas. For example, my N. trusmadiensis x burbidgeae is the most colourful plant in my entire collection.

I myself am far from a "species snob" - a beautiful plant that performs impressively is something I appreciate, whether man-made or naturally-occurring - but I do imbue the Nepenthes species I grow with greater value, as they inherently represent something From The Natural World, not something manipulated by the imagination of man.

Not meaning to start an argument, but what's your opinion on naturally occurring hybrids, given the lack of human intervention in their creation?
 
  • #13
Not meaning to start an argument, but what's your opinion on naturally occurring hybrids, given the lack of human intervention in their creation?

Myself, I value my naturally occurring hybrids as if they were species: no human hand created them. If they were born out of a natural process, they rank alongside species IMO.
 
  • #14
I think alot of us 'species snobs' just find each plant beautiful species or hybrid..BUT, theirs always something uniquely drawing to a species plant. Though their are many beautiful crosses that we gladly accept into our collections i think we feel species plants are more special to us because they remind us of something we may never really see in nature that was created their, unlike many man made hybrids. Natural hybrids are just as cherished to some as species are to others if not sometimes more!. I find the more crazy yet unseen cross that's made the more interest their is in growing/getting it. I myself have certain draws based on the looks of the plants leaves and pitchers and just so happens that many of those are species plants... but like i said i find crosses involving these traits combined with other plants that have similar traits i like are just as welcome in my collection as species plants and crazy not so common crosses.

Still have intrest in what the hamata x tenuis (i think that Was whose it was) whim sowed and gave away will look like!
 
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  • #15
I value my naturally occurring hybrids as if they were species; If they were born out of a natural process, they rank alongside species IMO.
I completely agree with this. If it was bred and born in the jungle, all done by nature itself.. why wouldnt it be its own?. Thats just too cool.

no human hand created them.
This makes them a million times more cool.
 
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