What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Substrate for N.campanulata

So I'm just getting into Nepenthes and other carnivorous plants in my vivariums. My first attempts were growing N.ampullaria from seeds, and growing sundews on a moss drip wall. So far I've had success. Now I have a N.campanulata on order. I'm debating putting it in a terrarium with frogs where it will be placed on a piece of driftwood with some moss. I know they grow slow and stay small.

I've read they grow as a lithophyte as well, so can I get away with a small amount of sphagnum moss around its roots? Will that work or will I need the typical Nepenthes substrate mix I keep finding on websites?


Thanks for the help.
 
First off, how big are the frogs? They could get gooped by the sticky nectar of N. campanulata. If they are on the smaller side, I would fear that the nectar may inhibit their breathing.
 
They are Theloderma asperum and grow to a bit over an inch and a half. They are a tree frog that spends most of its time in tree hollows that are full of water.
 
Hmmm, that sounds like a risk even with smaller Nepenthes.

However, N. campanulata is very nice plant and if you are able to, you should grow it anyways with its own setup. :)

- - - Updated - - -

Also, here is a link to what I am talking about in regards to the nectar of N. campanulata: Nepenthes campanulata -- stringy nectar (2) - YouTube
 
A lot of the common consensus with other Nepenthes, including the over protective keepers in the dart frog community, is that most pitchers are low risk, if any, for frogs.

But whether or not I plan to go this route my question still remains unanswered. Can I grow this pitcher almost like an epipytic plant like a bromeliad or orchid with the roots wrapped in moss on a branch? This species grows in rock crevices on limestone cliffs, so as a lithophyte would my idea work?
 
Hmm, you might want to talk to Clue. He grows some good looking N. campanulata in such a manner. I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject. He could probably give your more info.
 
Thank you for all the info. I'll check out that link you provided as well.
 
Hi RabidSimian,

I got your PM and decided to do a little write-up on N. campanulata here. I'd like to say that I'm moderately successful with this species. This thread is a good starting point for more information.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61904224@N05/25338975066/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0115"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1561/25338975066_192fd068a9_z.jpg" width="640" height="361" alt="IMAG0115"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>

I grow mine lithophytically for aesthetic reasons on a large chunk of limestone rock.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61904224@N05/23503996173/in/dateposted-public/" title="N. campanulata"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5764/23503996173_53ebd9194e_z.jpg" width="427" height="640" alt="N. campanulata"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>

This is a picture of it the last time I had access to my camera, circa two months ago. I have two separate clones growing on it, a red clone and a green Borneo Exotics clone. This is definitely not the easiest way to grow N. campanulata in my opinion and N. campanulata is not a beginner's species, nor very forgiving. Here's some abbreviated pointers about what works for me:

  • Bright light: this one's fairly obvious from the full tank shot.
  • High humidity (65-70% +)
  • Good ventilation: I run a computer fan in the tank intermittently for air circulation
  • Airy medium: should have plenty of aggregate (50% +), be it pumice, pouzzolane, akadama, perlite, or bark
  • Moist but not overly wet: I let mine dry out more than the average Nepenthes in between waterings
  • Temperature is of less importance, room temperature is good but lower than 10 C and higher than 32 C should be avoided.

The environmental conditions are very dependent on your growing conditions of course; keep a plant wetter and you'll need more water retention (sphagnum or peat), etc. However, I see some potential caveats to keeping them with frogs. N. campanulata in my experience does not appreciate much misting at all and doesn't like extra water in its pitchers, as well as needing excellent ventilation -- it really is a more 'dry environment' plant than typical lowland Nepenthes. Also, I could imagine that in larger pitchers, smaller dart frogs may not be able to escape if caught as the pitchers have exceptionally waxy sides.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61904224@N05/25338974116/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0116"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1469/25338974116_32c0a027ec_z.jpg" width="361" height="640" alt="IMAG0116"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/61904224@N05/25069554960/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMAG0117"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1703/25069554960_510624f637_z.jpg" width="361" height="640" alt="IMAG0117"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>

I have never tried mounting Nepenthes on driftwood, but I think that a spot in a typical frog tank is more well-suited towards orchids and bromeliads. I'm not sure whether the roots would take well to it or not, and if it were to dry out too much without having much root space (and therefore roots), it may wilt too far to save.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for the info. The plant will be placed at the highest point away from the water, near the lid where more airflow can be found, and also with unhindered access to light. I will be using an old technique to wrap the roots like so:

moss-balls-400x340.jpg



I'll probably use orchid bark with a few chunks of limestone or lava rock and wrap it with the sphagnum moss. The resulting bundle won't quite be a ball, but will be wedged into the gap between two pieces of driftwood. I have ordered two plants. One to raise the typical way and one to raise this way.

As for misting I won't be doing it often. The frogs may be considered arboreal, but love the water and spend most of their time lurking at the surface no matter how humid or dry the tank is. Typically if I do mist I target specific plants (like moss I'm trying to get established) and let the ambient humidity do the rest for my other species. I'll avoid misting this plant and the pitchers as per your advice.

I'll also continue posting my progress and ask for more pointers when I need them. I hope it works though, but we won't get to this until 1.5-2 months from now. The order is just underway and it will take time for the paperwork and such before the import.
 
  • #10
I was just about to post a thread about Campanulata substrate. My Camp has been struggling and I don't know what am I doing wrong. It's in my lowland terrarium with 28C day and 21-22C night temperatures. Lighting is 2 x T8 CFLs, the first is a plant grow tube and the second a 10000K cool white tube. It gets plenty of light as other plants in the terrarium color up very nicely. Humidity is always high, 70 % minimum. The plant itself is in a pot with about 1:2 LFS/perlite. Watering from above every time the "saucer" dries out.

Another thing, the Campanulata's leaves have this yellowish tint in the middle. Also the plant is now growing it's second basal and the main plant's leaf size only gets smaller every time. I have been thinking of changing the substrate, but into what? The only thing I can imagine it be at the moment is over watering. But could that cause the yellowing of the leaves?

N_Camp2.jpg
 
  • #11
Could need to be a bit warmer. N. campanulata grows at 100-300m above sea level so it would probably want day temps into the 90's (35 degrees celsius and above).
 
Last edited:
Back
Top