Nepenthes sibuyanensis grows naturally at altitudes from 1500 to 1800 meters, growing in open grassy areas on Mt. Guiting-Guiting, Sibuyan Island in the Philippines. This Nep isn't a climber like most of my others. Like the pitchers, the plant itself stays short and stout. It's not easy to get upper pitchers on this plant. Maybe it just takes the plant a much longer time, but in the wild they're not as often seen either.
 |
| Side view |
The interesting thing about growing this Nep is it's pitchering habits. It will bury the tip of the tendril in a neighbor's pot and grow under the moss. I usually only see them when they're almost fully developed. The only reason this pitcher is so exposed is I had to pull all my highland Nepenthes out and spray them for mites recently. This is the first year I've ever had a problem with mites on my outdoor plants, but mites love heat and humidity, and we've been getting an awful lot of days like that in a row, (around 95°F/35°C and 50%+ humidity.)
 |
| Front view |
I am so amused or amazed by these things, one day I have to get one or 2! Incredible plants. Real rocky horror picture show stuff! I hear the song in my ear! Great! LT
ReplyDeleteLOL, yeah they are different for sure! There are some that like it warm all the time, cool to cold at night, and all temps in between so I'm sure you can find one that will do well where you are. They are picky but not difficult to care for, I'd highly recommend you try one. I'd send you one if I could, but between CITES restrictions and costs, it unfortunately wouldn't be worth trying to ship.
DeleteThanks for the thought! There are a few places round here where we see some of the them, so at some stage I will pick one up, but I am always scared to get hooked on another, as I already have my hands full with the mesembs. LT
DeleteEeek! Yup that's how it happens. These were my 1st love, and then I got an orchid. Now I've got 30 something. Most recently someone convinced me to try succulents, now look how many of those I have too! I know exactly how you feel!
DeleteThat is quite extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it is different looking plant for sure!
DeleteYip yip! That's interesting how they bury the tip of their tendrils in a neighbor's pot; is this a common behaviour of pitchers? It reminds me abit of the behaviour of cuckoo birds, or do pitchers "share" their pots with each other because they need soil further away from their base because of the shape and angle of their tendrils, and not necessarily behave in a parasitic/invasive kind of way?
ReplyDeleteNot at all, this is the only one that does that as far as I know. Much more common is the tendril will grow from the tip of the leaf and develop in the air or resting on the top of any surface. There are a few more species that have growth patterns that deviate from the norm too though, but in totally different ways.
Delete