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!

Um, my cutting is flowering!

Spec and I traded some cuttings at the last BACPS show, and he gave me a small N. maxima cutting in a tiny pot of lfs. I didn't have too much hope for it, but it stayed alive and grew a new leaf or two. I just got home from a long weekend at Lake Tahoe, and found that the darn thing is flowering!!!

N_maxima_flower_2.sized.jpg


Here's a closeup of the flower. Guesses on sex? Anyway, it looks like I'll be in the pollen-trading market here pretty soon.

N_maxima_flower_1.sized.jpg


The cutting is still in the tiny pot of lfs. Should I repot it right away into a larger one, or just let it sit untill it's done flowering? Also, why is my cutting flowering, but none of my large neps are?

Capslock
 
It might be the stress of being cut and rerooted, could be the shift in light/weather. I don't know how long ago your plant show was that you got it at but my plants respond to the changing of lights in about 2-4 weeks. Those who were gonna flower did after the lights changed. There was also an unseasonal heatwave in my area. Is the pot rootbound? That might also have something to do with it.

Either way, it's great! Now you'll be able to put an M or F on a plant tag without waiting forever! I wish all my plants would come and flower in a few weeks so I could have complete records right away!

The round buds look like they will develop male flowers but you never know. Of my 4 flowering Neps only the aristo x thor looks like it will be a female, but it's not certain yet either.
 
I think its flowering because Spec had a HUGE plant, and he cut off the top bit. Nepenthes obviously flower when they get huge, and he gave you the top bit.
 
i'd go ahead and cut it off since you said it's still a cutting.
 
I am NOT going to cut it off! This is my first flowering nep!! It's been about six weeks since I got it, so I think the roots are established. Hopefully, I can trade some pollen/seeds, and make a new PFT hybrid! Hey swords, how about an (aristo x thor) x maxima?

Capslock
 
they dont need to be huge to flower. my Miranda is anything but huge and its got a flower spike. its definatly mature but it is far from huge going by pics of some ppls plants on here. i think stress from repoting it about 2 months ago kicked into the flowering cycle. i know its not a change in light as i havent replaced any in 4 months. its my only truely mature plant at the moment. hopefully next year my Ventrata(labeled as a female when i got it) and Ile de France will be big enough.

Rattler
 
Looks like a nice strong cutting. The flowers won't affect it's growth so let em go ;> I agree it's probably male.

Could be the fact it was cut that induced it but I suspect it was already developing the buds when it was cut. Or did so soon after as this is when N. maxima is usually in flower.

T
 
My bet is male as well. You can tell by those nice round buds. Females would be more oblong.

Tip cuttings coming into flower is fairly common. I think Tony hit the nail on the head. This cutting is from a mature vine and Physiologically speaking, it is a mature plant. Cuttings will often behave the same way the parent vine did with regard to pitcher morphology and flowering. for example:  cuttings from upper vines will continue to form upper pitchers until a basal rosette is produced.

Steve
 
Yah, it probubly thinks it's an adult... I wish my neps thought that, I don't have a single gender tag and my plants are falling out of their pots, but are mostly from tissue culture and seed so think like baby plants... hmmm does anyone know how old neps need to be to be 'mature'?  I think my seedling Judith is 5 years old and my ventricosa from tissue culture has been with me for about 3 years and the sanguinea 2 years. I just got a raff. from tissue culture this January and a cutting of edanensis(sp?).

Edit: And I should note that all my plants spent time with Steve L. (who knows gobs more then his 64 post count would lead you to beleave on CPs...) at the Meijer Gardens before I got them.
 
  • #10
Hehe Darcie, I know a lot LESS than my ridiculous 887 posts would indicate!

Capslock
 
  • #13
Hey Caps, when's the next BACPS show? Is there a website?
I live in the South Bay.. (grin)

Lia
 
  • #14
Lia,
Yes, it's www.bacps.org. The next show is September 18. I hope I see you there!

Guenter, I'll look into that!

Capslock
 
  • #15
Cool! Thats neat that it flowered. So was it male?
confused.gif
 
Back
Top