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Shock/Very Slow Growth in a Nepenthes Species 1

Hello Internet!

I bought a Nepenthes Species 1 (I assume this means no species name has been given yet?) about 2 months ago and while the plant seems to be doing well (nice shade of green, firm, no massive parts of it shriveling away), it seems to have slowed its growth to a crawl. I expected it to go through some initial shock when I first purchased it, which it did and most of the existing pitchers immediately died. This is my first Nepenthes, so my goal is simple: keep it alive :) However I would love for it to start growing pitchers again and so I'm wondering if these guys are really sensitive to environmental changes or if there's a way I can encourage growth?

Thanks!
 
hello thief and welcome to Terraforums. it would be awesome if you could tell us more about the growing conditions you currently have your nepenthes ie:light source, watering method, placement, things of that nature. any idea on the parents of the plant in question would help as well as some species have different needs. maybe contact the vendor to get more specific information on the exact cross you might have. These are things that will help others give you more advise.

-Javier
 
Its growing indoors in filtered light, seems a good light level as the plant has no yellowing, living next to a shower so it gets regular doses of humidity everyday, and well as misting with distilled water. I water it with distilled water whenever I have to dig my finger more than about an inch into the soil to feel a good amount of moisture. I'm not exactly sure of the substrate composition, it was set up when I purchased it, but it holds moisture well.

Unfortunately I don't know anything about the parents, although it was sold to me with the claim that it was a purebred of some species, just one that wasn't officially named yet. A google search of "nepenthes species 1" gave me this:

http://www.nepenthesaroundthehouse.com/nsp1borneo.htm

... which definitely sounds and looks like the plant I've got. Its living conditions haven't changed since I've gotten it.
 
what kind of temperatures are you providing it?
 
Ahh couldn't say for sure, I've been trying to avoid extremes, so I can guestimate like a high of 80 and a low of maybe 50. I'll get a thermometer in there and start checking though. 30 degrees too much of a daily temperature swing for a highlander?
 
Ahh couldn't say for sure, I've been trying to avoid extremes, so I can guestimate like a high of 80 and a low of maybe 50. I'll get a thermometer in there and start checking though. 30 degrees too much of a daily temperature swing for a highlander?

Sounds like an ideal temperature range for most highlanders; only a few have tighter restrictions. The Santa Cruz climate -- my home town -- should prove ideal.

Cool nudibranch photo, by the way . . .
 
Perhaps try giving it a little less of a swing. Maybe down to 60-65 range, it could be a more moderate highlander.
 
from what i understood from several growers, BE's N. sp. 1 is a bit of a slow grower anyhow, most highlanders are haha, atleast in comparison to lowlanders....i grow my highland plants (90% of my nep collection) in very similar conditions, 70-80 days, 40-50 nights and have observed absolutely no problems what so ever (even my intermediates more on the lowland side in the same conditions do well)
i wouldnt worry about it at all,
if you would like to see an improvement, you could always try a light fertilizing with a diluted seaweed or orchid fert...
or do what the new thing to do is, and give em some coffee ;)
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I'll try to narrow down the temp range. I also wanted to replant it at some point, would that be something to do while its currently not flowering/pitcher-ing? This is me going just on what I know about orchids hah.

Coffee, really? Do you put in grounds or in brewed form? Guess the acidity makes sense :D
 
  • #10
Coffee, really? Do you put in grounds or in brewed form? Guess the acidity makes sense :D

Coffee use has become quite popular recently; and I only became an adherent within the last six months. Generally, left-over liquid coffee is used, sometimes diluted a bit and poured through the compost as you would normally water.

Coffee grounds, while useful for some species, though not carnivorous plants, tend only to invite algal growth . . .


http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121639&highlight=succumbing
 
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