Carnivorous plants

[Jumala]

Too many plants never enough money!!!! Yes I'm drooling over the lowii x truncata - I love watching how much they change and develop from the wee little seedlings that we get to monsters that you can catch mice with!!! LMAO!!!

I'm renting which doesn't help with setting up any major permanent structures which also means that the costs for the highland stuff is really not justified when I'm paying someone elses house ....... sigh ..... oh well at least they don't say anything about the reptiles and rodents

Yes the grower here that I've been to is the one on ebay (pritch752) I got a straight truncata seedling from him and the other one which was the veitchii cross that was originally described as a veitchii outcross .... then the splitters got hold of the species and it divided lol. I drooled over the huge Gothica's that he had there .... They were HUGE!! And I wanted sooooo many other plants that he had there. I'm planning on going there again when I get a few more funds. Hopefully in the next couple of months. He has some very nice orchids (hybrids and species) as well.

My Miranda was a little bit of a sad looking plant when I got it but like the rest of my salvaged plants it is charging on now The prime example was the edwardsiana cross that I got from the nursery. It was in a 2 1/2" pot, coconut fibre mix, sitting in a tray of water. It was looking terrible!!! I chose the stronger of the 3 that were there, brought it home, repotted into pure spag moss and it hasn't looked backwards. I can't wait to see how the pitchers look That is assuming that the label was correct ........

 

[hornet]

Hornet those are some stunning plants. I particularly like your droseras and the boshiana mimic. The unknow Nep looks to me to be a ventrata (I have one growing in the front garden). Isn't it great when you get extra plants in the pot. Thanks for posting. As I said amazing plants.

Thanks that are looking pretty shabby i must say (the drosera's) as some have been attacked by a grub but next season after they throw out some new growth they should start looking a bit better . Got a cephalotus on the way and just sowed some locality specific miribalis seed. Also getting a bunch more drosera and some utriculara in the next week or 2

 

[Radar]

Can't believe I never thought of Ebay. I've only bought off Exotica and a local nursery that I think gets theirs from triffid park. How amicable is 'Pritch752' to visitors? Might drop in there next time Im up that way.

 

[hornet]

Ebay is fantastic, i buy seeds any plants off ebay quite regularly also CP forums are great places to find growers to trade with or buy from and normally very cheap as they are just doing it as a hobby and normally alot better range then the CP nurseries

 

[Tsubakai]

Just picked up a Nep miranda today from a local nursery. Looks a bit crap but I'm sure it'll improve in time. I think they've been using normal water so the pitchers aren't very developed. Will repot it and see how it goes.

Thanks for the thread guys, its rekindled my interest after not having any carnivorous plants for 6 years.

 

[kak1]

Jumala I love the fact that the lowii x truncatas are renowned for catching mice and they have done it not only with EP but with growers all over the world. I can't wait to see the black truncata's coming in. I'll have one in no time when they do. Renting can be a pain and for now you can just dream about your highlander set up and draw up plans for the future. Pritch sells some nice plants on ebay as do a number of other growers. I'll have to visit next time i'm up there and see what he has on offer.

Gothicas can grow massive and they are one plant I am considering growing in the garden but then again I already have enough Neps growing in the garden. I have my grow area out the back and for the odd hardy plant the garden out the front. I gave a N. alata to a friend and he hung it in a tree and it now has flowers so i'll try to get a pic next time I'm there.

My N. miranda was suprisingly good unlike the others. It is the fault of the store that these plants look ratty. I say that as gotchaplants who sell them have good quality stock and I have never seen any of their stock in nursery's or elsewhere looking bad. Unfortunately that's what happens when you don't have keen growers like us working in stores like BigW. The edwardsiana x sounds nice. May I ask what it costs and could you post a photo of the plant and pitchers please?

Hornet cephs are brilliant and just amazing. I would love to see some pics of it when you get it. Let me know how you go with your mirabilis seed. What locality is it if you don't mind me asking? Have you sowed Nep seed before and if so how long did it take to sprout for you? I bet your excited about your new arrivals.

Rednut you can't go wrong with EP plants but there are certainly some nice plants and cuttings on ebay. Many of the cuttings though have come from plants originally purchased off EP. Whatever the case Neps are just damn exciting. What Neps have you got growing?

Tsubakai we have to thank hornet for creating such a great thread. It gets me excited meeting or hearing from other growers as there are not too many out there and those that do grow them often only have one or two and think nothing of it. Carnivorous plants are nothing short of exciting. Hopefully your N. miranda will come along well for you. Keep us updated.

My new addition is coming soon and is a plant I won on ebay tonight. The plant is a thorelli x tiveyi. I will post pics when it arrives.

 

[hornet]

oooh a thorelii cross, make sure you post pics, thorelii makes some great hybrids. The seeds were from rednut (thanks again mate) from north of ingham, first time sowing but i have been reading up on it, should grow the same way as i strike my nep cuttings (which i will post pics of today). I would really like to get a few more species neps, my want list for species includes thorelii, inermis, N. vietchii prostrate form, N. rafflesiana, N. rajah, N. ovata, N. burbidgeae, N. aristolochioides, N. bicalcarata, and probably many more lol, need to make a list and slowly mark them off as i get them. Should get the ceph this week, today hopefully

 

[Jumala]

Kak1 - would you believe me if I told you I picked up the edwardsiana cross for $7.95? Couldn't resist at that price!!! It has one pitcher open on it at the moment and another one coming on. I was sooo hoping for that lovely grooving to come out on the peristome but have to wait and see ..... the first one doesn't really have it but the next one might - fingers crossed

Rednut - pritch is quite happy to have visitors - they are lovely people. What I have done is won a plant of ebay from him and in the checkout advised that I would like to pick up the plants. They will get back to you with a phone number and some idea of time to come up. It is a little bit of a drive from Townsville but well worth it!! If you like the orchids as well then be prepared to see plants that you want lol!! They have interesting plants all throughout their nursery

Hornet - where did you get your cephs from? Southern Carnivores? Not sure how they would go up here but I'd love to give them a try

The photos are of the edwardsiana cross and the guttering hydro flood and drain type system that I'm using. You can see the angle that I have it on so the water cannot sit in the gutter once the pump stops running.

A good little book that I picked up in Singapore is "Growing carnivorous plants in the Tropics" by Cindy Chiang Lih Pyng. Obviously it applies very well to my area even though it's not quite as tropical as Singapore but close enough lol. She talks about propagating Nep cuttings in a glass of water. Has anyone else done this with success?

 

[hornet]

i got mine from a private grower. It has to be the best way to increase your collection

---------- Post added 17-Jan-11 at 02:34 AM ----------

Come of my cuttings that as you can see are starting to produce some new leaves

 

[Radar]

Hornet: No worries, just hope they are viable.

Jumula: Bit of a drive never worried me, just an excuse to do some herping, right? :lol:

Kak: That is a very good question, lol. When I originally bought many of them at the local nursery the tags on some were missing and on others were plainly wrong, even to my taxonomically defunct brain (good thing for a botanist to say eh, haha). The few of these originals that had tags got lost during repotting and moving rental properties every 6 months as became customary with a house full of reptiles, 2 large dogs, some very loud cars :lol:. From exotica I've got N. merrilliana (crossed using their giant male), N lowii x campanulata, N merrilliana x xtrusmadiensis, (N ventricosa x sibuyanensis) x truncata and N spathulata x aristolochioides) x truncata. And someone has just turned up to buy some geck's so I'll finish this post later, will have a fish around for some photos.

EDIT: Will do this ^^ 2morrow or the next day, the night got a little bit out of hand....

 

[AUSGECKO]

Nice plants guys, the last thing I need is another hobby but....... Can anyone suggest a species that could be kept on a balcony that receives only a couple of hours direct sunlight a day in Sydneys western suburbs?

 

[hornet]

Drosera binata, Venus fly traps (some amazing varieties out there), some sarracenia or nepenthes

 

[AUSGECKO]

Drosera binata, Venus fly traps (some amazing varieties out there), some sarracenia or nepenthes

Cool, thanks mate, I will track some down and see if I have a green thumb

 

[kak1]

Jumala - That is exceptionally cheap for an eddy cross when you think about how much an edwardsiana costs (over $200 for a very small plant) and your plant is stunning. I hope the pitcher does carry the characteristic grooves of the eddy. To me it looks to be a cross with burbidgeae. If you ever take cuttings please let me know. Thanks for posting the photos of your set up once again. The book from cindy comes highly recommended and is on my want list. It will be in my hands very soon I hope.

Hornet - I'll certainly post pics once the plant arrives. Ebay is a hive of activity with neps at the moment. The ceph sounds great and as you said private growers are a great help. I'll be interested in buying a seedling of your mirabilis once you get them large enough to post that is if you are interested in selling one or two. I too have a list of desirables and have many coming from friends, private growers and EP so can't wait. I'll keep posting photos up as new plants arrive. Please keep us all updated on your seed growing attempt. By the way the cuttings look great.

Rednut - I have lost tags in the past and it can be quite a pain. I've taken to writing the variety and origin on the pot. This come about after I lost the tag to a particular hybrid which I gave away. I saw the hybrid six months after giving it away. I realized how stunning it had become and I wanted another one for myself. Problem was that I no longer knew what it was haha. On the subject of taxonomy it can be great sometimes and not so great at others.

I have a pitcher opening on my lowii x campanulata and will post the photo tommorow. I'm particularly interested in how the N merrilliana x xtrusmadiensis and N spathulata x aristolochioides) x truncata turn out. I look forward to the rest of your post and of course any photos.

Geck82 - Hornet has listed some great plants that are hardy. With regards to neps a good hardy nep would be any of the following hybrids

N. ventrata, red dragon or red leopard. I would suggest N. miranda which is readily available right now but I have only just got one myself and want to see how it grows before making a recommendation. Many of the easy growers can be found for sale at bunnings or big w. I hope this helps.

 

[hornet]

Check bunnings now, 2 locals ones i have been to recently have fresh stock of VFT's and Neps in. Bunnings have even been stocking names VFT varieties cheaper then ebay or online nurseries sell them, i picked up an 'Akai Ryu' - The Red Dragon for like $6, not just 1 plant but a cluster of small to medium tissue cultured plants, this form retails for $10+ online, the other variety they had in was "Big mouth" i think, should have grabbed one. My local also has dirt cheap neps for $3.50 for a small plant and the other store has 2 small ventricosa for like $6

---------- Post added 17-Jan-11 at 09:55 PM ----------

@ Geck82 basically any cheap nep $30 or less should do well for you down there

---------- Post added 17-Jan-11 at 11:21 PM ----------

More additions to the want list, N glabrata, lowii, hamata, and argentii

 

[Jumala]

Kak - yep that's why I just had to bring one home Couldn't go past that price for an edward cross And yes it is supposed to be crossed with burbidgeae. I got the book in Singapore in the Botanic Gardens bookshop. They have lots of beautiful books there but weight and money is why I didn't get any more. It was S$18

Hornet - thanks for that! Looks like I'm heading to Bunnings lol!! It's always nice to get the plants when they first come in.

Rednut - any excuse for a drive is good. You'll have to make sure you've got the car set up to take your new additions home - I tend to hang mine from the handle above the passenger door lol. Otherwise it is a stragetic placement on the front seat (I have a ute) so there is no damage.

I've just about given up on want lists - they get too big!!!! LMAO

---------- Post added 18-Jan-11 at 03:59 PM ----------

I'm going to try a couple of cuttings in a glass of water to see if it works ........ if it does in Sing it should here ... fingers crossed!!

 

[kak1]

Jumala originally I thought that the eddy x burbidgeae you posted had raff in it. However I was aware of these crosses been available in Australia. Well last night there was a thread (on an eddy cross much like you recieved) on a nepenthes forum. Let me know if you want a link to the thread. Some interesting posts were made regarding the plant which is a stunner.

Please keep us updated on striking the cuttings in the glass of water. As for the want list mine is quite big as well. Too many plants and not enough money lol. Now for some photos

Rednut as promised this is my lowii x campanulata which at present has three pitchers. One which opened yesterday, another which is quite small and the other which is in between the two.

lowii x campanulata

The largest Pitcher

The middle sized pitcher

 

[kak1]

My new N. miranda with pitcher

N. rajah with a few pitchers (same plant in both photos)

The following photos are of my N. alata MT Data which has been hung in one of the fig trees. As you can see it has flowered. Unfortunately what you can't see is the numerous pitchers and vining.

N. alata MT Data flower spike (female I believe)

N. alata MT Data hanging in a fig tree (see the pot below left)

 

[hornet]

some nice plants there That alata does look female, no males flowering? Would be great to create your own hybrid

 

[kak1]

Thanks Hornet. I wish there were others in flower but none just yet. Hopefully something else will flower at the same time when the next flower comes along and that it is of another sex.