Nepenthes: A Year of Growth!

Me with Carnivores
Late June 2013

Whew! Just over a year ago, I attended my first Black Jungle Terrarium Supply annual June sale. In the photo above you can see my prizes from that day. Notably, those include three Nepenthes - Nepenthes ampullaria, Nepenthes bicalcarata, and Nepenthes kongkandana. They were all growing in 2.5" pots. 

Nepenthes ampullaria

In a year, those three plants have really matured! All three now reside in 6" pots! And none would fit in the tiny terrarium that each first inhabited! You can see the amp, above, has put off a number of basal pitchers. (I lost count at twelve).

Nepenthes ampullaria

The vine has pitchers that are even bigger! The newest opened pitcher (on the right, above), is about the size of my fist. The first pitcher the plant put off for me, a little less than a year ago, was the size of a small thimble. It's really amazing to see, pictorially, how plants can flourish if given good conditions.

Nepenthes bicalcarata

Like the ampullaria, the Nepenthes bicalcarata I bought a year ago is putting out large pitchers on even larger leaves. If this plant gets any wider, it won't fit in the 55-gallon tank I'm using for its terrarium right now! It's mind-boggling that a tiny plant a year ago could be so large now.

Nepenthes kongkandana

The Nepenthes kongkandana was always the best grower. So far, it has put off two basals, been set-back by heavy pesticide treatment for scale (that came with the plant), had one basal cut and rooted, and has still managed to put out these mature pitchers. It is an incredible, unstoppable plant! Every leaf puts out a pitcher and a new leaf gets put out every two weeks or so. Absolutely amazing!