Return of the Pitchers

Lately the weather has become a little more merciful, with rain showers every other day and sunny cloudless skies almost every morning. I realised the garden needed a little change of theme, what with a lot of the episcias now getting leggy and some of last year’s rexes beginning to show signs of deterioration (let’s just say I’m done with them in my garden!).  The only ones surviving the full year cycle are the rhizomatous species and the canes, plus the original Begonia Rex (6 new plants from 6 leaf cuttings, to say the least of their ease in growth).

So I decided to return to Nepenthes. Reason being I had experimented so far with many of the common ornamentals and perennials and there was nothing much that came through growing well. Most of my herbs would not survive being left alone and unprotected from the notorious mealies and mites that seem to appear out of nowhere the moment I started growing these plants.

Hence, in early January 2010, I made my way back to the Nepenthes realm. It seemed strange actually, to put myself back into growing them when I had already resolved to turn away from them at one point. Now with all forms of new hybrids and species variants easily accessible by just a mouse click away I couldn’t help but want to immerse myself into a renewed experience revolving this genus.

Here is what I ended up with after almost half a year. These are mostly Nepenthes rafflesiana, a species which I had good growing results since I started about a decade ago. Rafflesianas are among the beautiful heavyweights of the Nepenthes genus.  Their widely varying sizes and colours make for a bewildering selection to the grower who has a deep unrequited love for this species, and wants to grow them to the fullest potential.

Below is the left view of the shed, where more sun hits. Here are more of the sun-loving raffs notably the giants from Borneo.

Then there are other various red pitchered hybrids in the open. They take extremely well to the hot weather provided copious amounts of water are given to them. Nepenthes globosa flourish in red as the sun shines directly on them all day long.

This thorelli x truncata ‘Red Clone’ from EP has been throwing out pitchers under full sun. Proven to be rather resillient during heat waves.  A must get plant for any Nepenthes enthusiast who wants big tubular pitchers with full packed redness.

Will post more updates in the next entry.

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