N. northiana

[neps]

Hi,

Took this image recently, and thought I'd share it here.
This pitcher is a bit over 30 cm high. I think that the
plant itself is fully grown now; leaves are 65 cm long.
Trust me, this one would be tough to grow to maturity
without a greenhouse!

BTW, my wife is holding the pitcher; I'm the one with
the camera.

 

[eplants02]

Wow

it's so beautiful.

 

[Guest]

I love it. I was going to get one just like that, but they sold out

.

 

[GEORGE-CP]

Mr & Mrs. Neps,
OMG, i can just imagin the effort it took to grow that plant to maturity. for that is one of the most beautiful pitchers i have seen. brovo and also stands and claps my hands to your achivment. that is one picture i would add to your web page if i was you.

with having two small plants of this one i trully know how diff. it is to get this one to pitcher. no matter how warm or humid i keep it, it just won't pitcher. maybe with due time both of them will do so.

thank you for sharing that one.

 

[Tim]

Hey Neps

Thanks to you, and your pretty wife.


Very best
Tim

 

[Borneo]

In case anyone here doesn't already know it, that plant is growing in a basement

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

No comment, just so awed by that picture! Thanks so very much for sharing Jeff!

 

[Parasuco]

It's amazing how Jeff can do that without having his plants exposed to any sunlight, truly impressive...

Now for a Gregism; What can/do you feed it?

 

[neps]

Thanks to all of you for your remarks regarding this plant!

Actually, this specimen is not growing in my basement.
However, it is cultivated using artificial light. Specifically,
I use four 40 W cool white flourescent lamps, on a timer.

It is about 5 years old. Took it a while to get going, but
once it did, it took off. The whole plant is quite large,
being over 1.3 m in diameter, with a stem that is about
80 cm long. If any of you have other questions, please ask
and I'll try to provide some information.

BTW, I feed it crickets -- about 30 at a time.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Ok, I do have a question that aroused just now.

I have a small northiana (13 cm in diameter) and it has pitchered, but when it does the lid doesn't form, it shrinks almost immaturely. It grows fine and pitchers ok, but the shrinking lid has me puzzled it's about 80 or so all the time and it loves it. Thank you Jeff! Dustin. (sorry for the bad image quality too, I just snapped them quick.)

Pitcher (note tiny operculum)

Plant (13cm in diameter)

 

[neps]

I have seen the problem of which you speak, Dustin, as have
others I know. Moreover, this problem is not unique to
N. northiana; it can occur with almost any species of Nepenthes.
My opinion is that it is caused by rapid shifts in humidity, and
can also occur as a result of inadequate soil moisture. Some
species, e.g., NN. tentaculata, macfarlanei, lowii, and rajah,
exhibit this tendency much more readily than other species.

If anyone has other thoughts on this phenomenon, I would
be most happy to see them posted.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the info! I would be greatly appreciative also if anyone else can help me rid my plant of this problem.

Also my N. lowii did this also (but the pitcher WAS damaged before hand) It made almost no lid yet a fully formed pitcher.

 

[whispersiren]

Wow! It IS gorgeous!!!

It would be neat to see a series of pictures marking its pitcher development over five years... especially since few of us will probably have such amazing results.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Great pics! Your plant looks nice and healthy Dustin.
I have seen plenty of weird things with pitcher development. Usually it occurs after a repotting or some other environmental 'disaster' IE a rapid change in temperature and or moisture. I suspect that some Nepenthes are more susceptible to these things than others and the pitcher has to be at the right phase of development to show such effects.

In my experience N. northiana is very tempermental about fluctuating conditions. Perhaps simply opening up an enclosed growing area/terrarium for a minute or two causes a significant environmental change in humidity and temperature. Enough so that pitcher development is disturbed.

Tony

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Hmm....maybe leave me terrarium alone for a while? I do open it for only a minute or so...at the most 5 minutes (when I add water). Wierd that just that short amount of time effects the pitcher developement! I'll leave the top sealed till a new pitcher opens.

Jeff, is your growroom a walk in deal? If so does your N. northiana ever respond negatively from you checking in on it occasionally? Thanks!

 

[neps]

I grow N. northiana in a special environmental chamber I built
for it. Had to do this because the environment in my greenhouse
proper was too variable. However, I've found no adverse effects
from the occasional inspection of my plant. Actually, my experience
suggests that it may take more than a momentary fluctuation
to induce adverse changes. Since I live in a fairly dry area of
the country, though, my greenhouse humidity can fluctuate
markedly during the day. Most Nepenthes will tolerate this, but
N. northiana seems to be the exception.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Ah ok I see now. A special climate without extreme changes in atmospheric conditions.

I thought you grew all your plants in growrooms/chambers in your basement under HID lighting? I never knew you had a greenhouse outdoors.

 

[Andenes]

My god! Are you guys lucky or what?! I am shocked and amazed by such beauty. I'm curious....how much did it cost? jejeje

Sincerely,
Erick.

 

[neps]

Hi Erick,

When we got this plant, it was about 3 cm in diameter.
I don't remember what it cost, but it wasn't very much.

 

[Joachim Danz]

Hi Jeff,

this is by far the best looking N. northiana pitcher on a cultivated plant I've ever seen! Thanks for sharing this pic.

Dustin, from my experience deformed pitcher lids are also mostly due to humidity issues. I don't think few minutes under lower humidity will cause such a damage, but longer periods of time will do this for sure. The plant looks like it is still adjusting to its new home with considerable lower light levels than previously (bigger leafes&#33

. I would wait for the next pitchers to be grown and won't worry too much about the last one.

Joachim