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Nepenthes Rajah

nepenthes gracilis

nepenthes gracilis

Nepenthes Specialist
Hey everyone. I want a N.Rajah but I am not sure if I could care for it. I can prvide plenty of humidity and the soil mix is no problem. But i am not sure about temperatures. They are my main weakness when it comes to reducing them at night. How can I do this inside of my house in a terrarium? In the summer temps get about 70-80 F daytime and 55-60 F at night. In the winter I am not concerned if someone answers my question on indoor growing for N.Rajah. So to sum it up I need to know How to cool it in a terrarium in an individual pot. And if I can grow it outside during the summer out of the terrarium on my porch. Remember please tell me how to cool it both ways,inside of the terrarium and out. Thanks a lot Nep.G.
 
I forgot to add where can I get this plant? I checked Cook's website but it seems it hasn't been updated in ages! Nep.G.
 
I should be getting some nice N. rajah about 3" across sometime early January, provided the exporter can get the CITES 1 export permits.

As for growing rajah.. it is one of the most stubborn, unforgiving tempermental Nepenthes. If you can keep your day temps under 85 and night temps low 60s (preferably lower) and your humidity high during the day and higher at night (90-100%) it will do ok. I also find that rajah needs high quality water.
Tony
 
NepG can I ask your reason for wanting rajah so much?
It is, of course, your choice, but there are species with pitchers that are as big or pretty close if that's what you are after. As Tony has said, rajah can be quite difficult and even in good conditions it is a relatively slow grower. Unless you are confident that you can hack the idiosyncracies of this plant it may be better to look at merriliana, truncata or one of the other larger lowlanders that are less demanding?

This is just a suggestion so please don't think I am trying to tell you what to grow.

Cheers, fatboy.
 
That's OK Fatboy I do grow Merrilliana and Truncata. They are giants too I know. I just want N.Rajah because it is so unusual. And I think it would be perfect for me because I don't like upper climing stems and upper pitchers. I personally think some upper pitchers on some species are rather boring. I also want it because it gets so large(pitcher wise). It is just so neat! And it is at an afforable price for me. Around 30-35 Dollars is what I saw at a website. I also want it to show off in my future greenhouse. If I get a swamp cooler I can grow it good. Now can you tell me (Tony already has Thanks Tony) how to care for it more? Yes I want more instrutions! Nep.G.
 
Ah... the "king" Nepenthes ;o)

@ Tony, how much is a THREE INCH N. rajah
confused.gif
!!!
this is relativly BIG for this spezies.

I' m growing my N. rajah (bought mine for less than 15 &#36, it's a great advantage to live in Germany, where so many Nepenthes freaks are ;o) )
...ahmm... I'm growing mine during summer at 80F day and 65-70F nighttime temperature inside my house in an eatsfacing window in a cool room with heating and additional lights during the days. The plant grows faster in winter at daytime tempearture around 75F and nightime drops down to 55-60F.
Humidity is around 80% but can drop soetimes. I give the plants a lot of frsh air with a fan + ultrasonic fogger which helps cooling the temeparture because of evaporating (about 3-5F less).

I have seen plants growing in an appletree ! during autumn /summer here in Germany. But you should definitly NOT try this with new plants a few weeks out of in vitro culture

Nepenths rajah can tolerate high daytimetemperatures even up to 90F or more, but humidity should be very high. At "normal" daytimetemperatures at 80F N. rajah can tolerate some humidity fluctuations if adepted to "hard" conditions.
daytime temperature MUST be higher than 70F, otherwise the plant will grow extremly slow.

Nightimetemperature MUST be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than Daytimetemperature. I don't know what would be best, but 50-55F might be the best.
Nightime humidity should be at leat at 80%, plants are growing faster in even higher humidity.
The plants appreciate air-movement.

Light levels should be high.

Use big pots ! Bigger than the plant diamater !! the plant has a very extensive root system.

Use a airy and well draind substrat.

Hmmm, this is all I know....

One question. My N. rajah has produced several new plants offshot. This is the only Nepenths spezies which has done this as a very young plnat.
I seperated three of the, two have survived but are growing extremly slow (2 leafes, 0,5" diameter)
3 new ones are still connected th the "mother" plant.

has anybody made the same experience ?
Does someone know the reason.
I think, the plant got to much hormones to stimulate devision during the invitro time.

Martin
 
OK so how can I obtain the correct temperature inside of my house? I think I will be growing it in a terrarium for a few months then move it to my greenhouse if I have ine by then. So how can I heat a terrarium? Place it by my "Laser" brand heater in my dining room? Or use a. aquqrium heater? Thanks Nep.G.
 
Hi Martin

I don't have a price yet but they will probably be around &#3635 usd. I suspect your correct about the offshoots with regard to proliferation while in tissue culture, carrying over to after they are removed and potted up.

Nep G Heat your terrarium?? I would think cooling would be an issue with an indoor terrarium??
Tony
 
maybe the best way to grow N. rajah (and other "real highlanders") indoors is in an cool room (even during summer) with additional heating and lighting during the day.

There is a very good homepage to this topic on the net :
<a href="http://www.plantswithattitude.com

Martin

" target="_blank">http://www.plantswithattitude.com

Martin

</a>
PS : 35&#36 seems to be a fair prize for a rajah with this size.
Mine is about 2,5" at the moment but does not show mature features (peltate tendril insortion, for excample) There are always only 4 green leafes and 2-3 living pitchers (0,5") at one time.


(Edited by Martin at 3:20 pm on Dec. 3, 2001)
 
  • #10
Ohh Really! Great! I hate heating. Cooling is OK. I grow Ventricosa and Veitchii(I think it is Veitchii) in a unheated tank. Would that be OK for it with a daytime temp of about 50-60 and a nightime temp of about 40-50. I think that is too cold for day temps but nightime temps sound good to me how about you? Thanks Tony and Martin. You are really helping me out ALOT! Nep.G.
 
  • #11
Why's your terrarium so cold??

I would say 55-62 at night, 75-80 during the day.
Tony
 
  • #12
My terrarium is cold?? The Ventricosa and Veitchii grow well in it. Aloong with the P.Ionatha,and D.Adelae. If it is to cold should I move it next to my dining room heater? Nep.G.
 
  • #13
Well if you feel the plants are growing well I would not move it.
T
 
  • #14
OK Tony. Since my Grandmother has a scanner and I have some pics. of all my plants I'll try to get up there sometime this week and post them as well as the long awaited pic of the unidentified Nepenthes! Umm.. last night my internet was screwed up so i'll repost this message since it didn't go through.

For N.Rajah I have decided what I want to know for a sum up. What are the BEST growing conditions to grow it in? Please fill in these or give me a list of the BEST growing conditions.


Soil-
Light-
Temp.-
Natural Growing Conditions in The Wild-
Humidity-

Thank You Very Much! Sorry for all of the endless questions but this plant is so challenging and as well as amazing! Thanks. Nep.G.
 
  • #15
Soil.. fine mix but loose, well drained
Light.. high
Temp.. Night 55-60, day 80
Humidity..Night 90%+, day not much lower than 70%
(much more sensitive to water quality than most Nepenthes)

Natural growing conditions:
Open grassy sloping areas in loose soil. 1500-2600 m elevation.

(Lowland is generally considered 0-1000m)
T
 
  • #16
I have plenty of pure water so that isn't a concern. About the soil could you give me a mix you or someone you know uses that is suitable for it and that it grows great in. Also what soil does it grow in naturally? Thanks. Nep.G.
 
  • #19
I would be less concerned with what the soil is that it naturally grows in. Potting mix must be tailored to your own growing conditions. BUT as a starting point:
It naturally grows in loose gravely ultramafic soil.

I can't really say exactly what mix or blend of ingredients you should use. I have used 100% New Zealand sphag. I have also used a mix of peatmoss/perlite/laterite. I have also used a mix of fine coconut husk chips/Chopped NZ sphag/perlite.

I can't say the plants have down better or worse in either mix. More critical to success as long as the potting mix is very well drained will be temperature and moisture levels.
Tony
 
  • #20
What the heck is ultramafic soil??? Tony you know the sphagnum that grows around here don't you? Could I use that? I have a Truncata growing in it and it seems to be doing fine. Nep.G.
 
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