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Spectabilis or Singalana?

In a few weeks I'll be heading down to the Hampton Court flower show and I'm planning on buying another Nepenthes there. I've looked at the online stores that going to be setting up gardens and I can't decide between getting a N. Spectabilis or Singalana, I love the colours of the Spectabillis but the teeth on the Singalana's peristome are just amazing... Anyone have any particular preference? Which would grow happier/faster at lowish humidity? Thanks in advance for any replies :D
 
I can't say for N. spectabilis, but the N. singalana I have pouts pretty bad in low humidity, and it's killed the pitchers every time I let the humidity drop. I will say N. spectabilis is probably going to be a much faster grower and less picky.
 
Of my Nepenthes, my spectabilis is the most picky so far. It took over a year after purchase to acclimate and pitcher for me. That was on my windowsill. It also seems to have a higher light requirement then my other Neps. It takes the longest after winter to start pitchering again. I have since put it in a terrarium with my other Neps. and it is quite happy there. I have the spectabilis form from Pangulo Bao. Just a little thing right now, but I am already getting a striped peristome and love it! Seems it is just a little picky, but will be worth it.
 
I agree with dsrtfox. Spectabilis is pretty finicky, but VERY rewarding if you can get the conditions right.
 
Thanks for the advice :) they'd be grown on a windowsill but by the sounds of it neither would be too happy without a terrarium/greenhouse.. I guess I'll have to find a less exciting but more hardy plant, does anyone have any experience with N.sibuyanensis or glabrata?
 
Ive had no problems with spectabilis or singalana (before I sold both of my singalana plants that is).
Spectabilis takes a bit to settle in, this is true... But after it settles in, it will pitcher in moderately low humidity, and reward you with stunning pitchers. Singalana also pitchered very well for me in moderate humidity. Now as far as glabrata and sibuyanensis goes, both DO seem to require high humidity to pitcher properly...
 
Thanks a lot! The humidity shouldn't be devestatingly low, just standard Britain which averages around 65%. I'm planning on buying a himdifier aswell specifically for more fussy plants, I'll have a chat with who i buy it from about the conditions it was grown in so I don't send it into too much shock... Again thanks for the advice :D
 
65% should be perfectly fine for growing either spectabilis or singalana IMO. if you really liked the teeth in singalana, go for a particular variety from Gunung Tujuh, and if you like a beatiful spectabilis, the form from Gunung Sinabung (which is hard to come by, and my clone of it is female) or the Borneo Exotics North Sumatra clone is quite stunning... ive yet to see how the new spectabilis giant from BE will look, i suppose i should pick one up one of these days.
 
Ah thats good to hear, thanks a lot! I'll look into finding ones specifically from those areas. I think I'm going to see which of the two captures my eye on the day, bit of a beauty and the beast situation going on! :lol:
 
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  • #10
I've also found spectabilis to be quite finicky. It took mine over a year to settle in and make a pitcher for me after getting it. Once it settled in, it grew quite fast...pitchered nicely too. Then it up and died after it started vining. I don't know why, it happened suddenly. Singalana, for me, grows at a snails pace, but seems a bit tougher and not quite so finicky as long as I keep it moderately humid.
 
  • #11
Why not just get N.petiolata? Attractive red leaves, red spotted pitchers with striped peristomes, and has made a pitcher on every leaf since I got it despite heat, cold, drought, low humidity, and low light conditions.

Here's mine:
P2050055_1.jpg


P3200044.jpg

(3-4" pot)

and here's more photos at cp photo finder
http://cpphotofinder.com/nepenthes-petiolata-575.html

and here's Joel's page, with a set of most droolworthy pictures
http://www.nepenthesaroundthehouse.com/npetio.htm
 
  • #12
Why not just get N.petiolata? Attractive red leaves, red spotted pitchers with striped peristomes, and has made a pitcher on every leaf since I got it despite heat, cold, drought, low humidity, and low light conditions.

Here's mine:
P2050055_1.jpg


P3200044.jpg

(3-4" pot)

and here's more photos at cp photo finder
http://cpphotofinder.com/nepenthes-petiolata-575.html

and here's Joel's page, with a set of most droolworthy pictures
http://www.nepenthesaroundthehouse.com/npetio.htm

That is one nice looking Nep! There's not a lot to choose from over here in blighty old England and ordering from afar is a bit out of my price range being a student so my choices are fairly limited.. Thanks for the reccomendation though, I'll certainly look around for a N.petiolata! :)
 
  • #13
If you were here, I'd sell ya mine. Maybe you should pack your bags and move across the pond.
 
  • #14
Aha I wish! It's going to be quite a while before I can set up a greenhouse to really increase my CP collection :/
 
  • #15
My N. singelana grew and pitchered very well for me, while I ignored it. I then moved it to a spot in my terrarium that got less light, and its been pouting ever since (even though I have repotted, gave it a carpet of live LFS, treated it for pests, moved it to the brightest area of my terrarium, and have now bagged it for ultra-high humdidity which worked for my N. aristolochiodes). I would advice acclimating it slowly if you chose to get this one.
 
  • #16
At the moment I think I'm leaning towards the N. Singalana because it seems more adaptable to low humidity to the Spectabilis. I hope by slowly acclimatising it, it will grow nicely as the other plants on my windowsill, although all fairly hardy, are thriving nicely! Thanks for the advice :D
 
  • #17
i think your getting it backwards, singalana needs more humidity than spectabilis... spectabilis just seems to take longer to settle in and grow for some people, and i have to agree, it can be a bit of a pain to settle in and pitcher, but i think its more or less because some people dont acclimate it right.... my spectabilis north sumatra did amazingly well as a windowsill plant for over a year, then i moved it into my greenhouse after i built it... singalana, really does need decent humidity to pitcher, and IMO decent is 50%+ so your 65% humidity should be perfectly fine, provided you mist your plant (should you go with singalana) or add a nice top dressing of live sphag (really kicks up the RH IMO)
atleast they will pitcher though in moderate humidity, unlike those darned talangensis plants xD

this spectabilis north sumatra pitcher formed in whatever the humidity is in my garage, like 50% if that...is one of the pitchers from the basal that is taking over, the main vine is starting to go downhill.... flowered itself into poor health haha.
DSC_0374.jpg
 
  • #18
i think your getting it backwards, singalana needs more humidity than spectabilis... spectabilis just seems to take longer to settle in and grow for some people, and i have to agree, it can be a bit of a pain to settle in and pitcher, but i think its more or less because some people dont acclimate it right.... my spectabilis north sumatra did amazingly well as a windowsill plant for over a year, then i moved it into my greenhouse after i built it... singalana, really does need decent humidity to pitcher, and IMO decent is 50%+ so your 65% humidity should be perfectly fine, provided you mist your plant (should you go with singalana) or add a nice top dressing of live sphag (really kicks up the RH IMO)
atleast they will pitcher though in moderate humidity, unlike those darned talangensis plants xD

this spectabilis north sumatra pitcher formed in whatever the humidity is in my garage, like 50% if that...is one of the pitchers from the basal that is taking over, the main vine is starting to go downhill.... flowered itself into poor health haha.
DSC_0374.jpg

Ooh, thanks for clearing that up! I had it in my head that Singalana would be more adaptable to lower humidity just be a slow grower, probably because it looks fairly ****** ^^ Your Spectabilis looks great! I love the shape of the pitchers almost as much as the colouring! What method would you recommend to acclimatise a Spectabilis? I have access to a greenhouse but it's in my front garden, a row of bushes away from the street, so I'm pretty uneasy about a Nep living there long term.. Again, thanks for the advice :D
 
  • #19
Here is one of my favorite lower pitchers this plant made....
DSC05468.jpg


upper trap of the same plant
P1010023.jpg
 
  • #20
SK, you have instilled new found respect for N. Spectabilis in me. Kudos.
 
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