Normal?

[Ant]

Well, for christmas I got a ventrata and I noticed something weird. The plant has both large main stems with 2 growth points because they took 2 cutting from each stem at different times and places. I was wondering if it is a normal effect on plants. I will get a pic. as soon as I find my connection cable.

 

[jimscott]

Don't know about normality or typcal approach to the people putting them on the market, but I wouldn't worry about it. I make my own cuttings and new nodes / growth points eventually appear.

 

[wmgorum]

I don't think I understand what you're asking. Your ventrata has two growth points on the same plant?

I don't think it's any big deal. I have that happen often when I make a cutting that has more than one node on it. For example, if a cutting has two nodes on it, often both nodes become active and the plant has two growth points simultaeously. Sometimes I let them grow that way and sell/trade/give them away or I let the growth points grow until they have 6 or so leaves on them and then I cut them and root them individually. I don't think I've ever had a ventrata cutting that didn't strike. They're uber-easy.

 

[Ant]

I ment that when they had a cutting taken from the 2 largest stems that 2 nodes activated on the same stem.

 

[phissionkorps]

I had a coccinea that activated 9 nodes on 1 stem. It'll be fine.

 

[Zero]

multiple nodes=good.
you will have a bushy nep.

 

[Zero]

sorry, double post

 

[EdaxFlamma]

Check this out if you think you have too many side shoots. : )

http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111022&highlight=too+many+nodes

It should be fine from what the experts tell me

 

[Ant]

So I shoudl just leave them to grow? Or should I make 2 cuttings?

 

[xvart]

Let them grow for a while at the very least.

xvart.

 

[schloaty]

multiple nodes=good.
you will have a bushy nep.

Multiple duplicate posts, on the other hand.....

 

[Slurm]

Nepenthes x ventrata is probably the most vigorous/bomb-proof nep in existence. Let it grow as many growth points as it wants.

If the plant was a weak/difficult plant like N. aristolochioides, multiple growths on a small plant can "drain the plant's energy" making it weaker and more suceptible to pests/weather fluctuations etc. This sort of "energy draining" phenomenon is common in VFT's and pinguiculas which can literally flower themselves to death.

Multiple growths on a small plant is likely an artifact of hormone use in tissue culture and in stronger plants (like your ventrata) it is actually beneficial to the plant, making it bushier.