Lowest temps and humidity

[Ozzy]

I'm kind of new to growing nepenthes, and after reading the postings on the lowest temps for the highlands I was wondering what's the lowest temps and humidity you can have for lowlands.
By the way I have a N.bicalcarata and two I haven't identified yet.
Thanks

 

[swords]

Bicalcarata requires high humidity and warm temps. It must never be cooler than 70*F (meaning not 65*F at night but 70*F or more) if you want to sustain rapid healthy growth. You can have it grow between 70*F and 100*F year round with no problems. You must also ensure that it has 80% humidity if you want the humungous pitchers. Mine has recently made a pitcher the size of a softball, I'm so proud of it! Bical is really one of my faves cos this is only 1/2 it's potential size!

Basically the warmer and wetter you can keep the air the happier the lowland plants will be. Whereas the highlands are the opposite, cool and wet.

Remember that both types of nepenthes require bright light to make their pitchers big and beautiful. I don't recommend growing them with any less than 4x 40 watt flourescent tubes and preferably 6x 40 watt tubes. With only 80 watts my results were unsatifactory even though temps and humidity remained high the pitchers were dissapointing compared to doubling and trippling the lighting. so long as the humdiity remains high bright light will not harm them other than giving them a bit of "pigmentation".

Good luck!

 

[Kim]

Well, I might disagree with swords, but I have had my bicals down as low as sixty degrees with no problems whatsoever in Hawaii. Our night temps are many nights below 70F at this point and all my lowland neps are doing just fine. They will not grow as much during the winter months but pitcher size will remain the same as if grown in very lowland conditions. However, my plants acclimate and are all grown outside. I would not subject N. bicalcarata to temps in the low sixties if it has been kept with highs in the nighties and lows in the high seventies. It would probably overstress the plant. Good luck.

Kim

 

[Ozzy]

Hey guys,
This was a big help.
Thanks