[addam4208283]

Got some really cool pitcher plants from a friend today. I was told they came from Lowes; just thought I would share so others can check it out.
Here are some quick pics.
ADAM

Also does anyone have any tips on care for these plants? Can I just keep them out as reg. plants or would they do better in a vive set up? I would really like to keep them out for FF control.

 

[Mantellaprince20]

I just bought 2 pitchers (nepenthes species), and they seem to be drying out a bit, but I have plans on putting them in vivs. I hvae been misting them daily, and keeping them moist, but I just think they need a constant humid air. SO, a viv is probably the best way to do pitchers. GOod luck with them.

Ed

 

[Homer]

The top one is a Nepenthes, probably a Nepenthes 'Judith Finn.' I bought one of those from Lowes about 2 years ago, placed it in my terraria in good draining, moist substrate, and it has done VERY well. If you don't put it in the terrarium, it will not do its best, as they do need very high humidity (even though that one is a highland hybrid, it will do fine in the terraria). Further, they do require high light to do their best.

The lower two pics are of a Sarracenia (looks like purpurea to me), a North American pitcher. You'll not want to put those in a terrarium unless you are willing to take them out and place them in a cool place for 3 months next winter . . . they require a dormant period.

For more info, I highly recommend The Savage Garden by D'Amato.

 

[TimsViv]

I just got two pitcher plants from Black Jungle, would they be safe to use in a Vent tank?

The plants are a Tropical Pitcher Plant - Nepenthes ventrieosa and a Sun Pitcher - Heliamphora heterodoxa minor.

Any help would be appreciated.

Tim

 

[Homer]

I personally would not put the N. ventricosa in with vents. Even though ventricosa is one of the smaller pitchering Nepenthes, they are still pretty good sized pitchers when mature, and more than big enough to trap a vent. But that is just my opinion . . . I'm very cautious about the size of the pitcher plants I put in with my frogs. I wouldn't be worried about having them in with tincs or auratus as long as the pitcher openings were smaller than the frogs.

As for the Heliamphora, they are called sun pitchers because they love HIGH light--probably higher than you can get (easily) in a dart frog terrarium, and they require COOL temps. I don't think that one is probably a good candidate for a frog tank--it would be better in a cool south facing window, or better yet, in a greenhouse. Maybe others could chime in a bit more on their experience with Heliamphoras, as I don't have any personal experience. Howeiver, I do know that their culture requirements aren't usually considered a good match for dart frog terraria. Maybe this hybrid (Black Jungle is selling a hybrid Helia, right?) is different.

Just my experience and opinion . . . maybe others can help out, Tim.

 

[andersonii85]

I agree with Homer on all aspects here. I have never tried any nepenthes with my vents and would error on the side of caution.

As for the Heliamphora, they grow on mountain cliffs in South America (Venezuela- I think....darn memory). They occur at about 1000-3000ft above sea level. They are cool growers as far as I can remember. We used to put them in the cooler part of the greenhouse during the summer months. However, I do think that there are some bog species in this genus that might be better candidates for terraria. Let us know if you find one that works out well for you.

Justin

 

[Rain_Frog]

Like I once said in the advanced discussion "Pitcher plants with frogs" I am not a strong advocate of keeping frogs with Nepenthes with a few exceptions. I have two adult ventricosa that I would never place with my tricolors or even my mantellas. Its not the acid, its not slick walls. Its the peristome that overhangs insidethat blocks an animal trying to escape. Once again, there are exceptions, like ampullaria.

N. ventricosa is a highlander too. It does much better if temps are below 80 degrees with nights dropping into the mid sixties. Ever since I removed the heater in my ventricosa terrarium, they really began to take off.

More lowlander Heliamphora would be ok such as heterodoxa x minor as long as your nights are cool, and the temp rarely rises above 82 degrees. Still, thats a bit cool for vents, and you might want to keep them with mantellas or tricolor instead. Plus, they need lots of light, metal halide would be the best.

That sarracenia looks like S. flava x purpurea, err, S. x castabei. If you keep the plant at least 2 inches away from 4 fluorescent or metal halide, it would do well. Plus, if you are willing to cycle them too. I don't think this would be very appropriate, unless you'll remove them later if you're using this for egg deposit sites. They are safe pitcher plants though. Have fun.

 

[Rain_Frog]

andersonii? Did you by chance used to keep Heliamphora ionassi or tatei?

 

[andersonii85]

Sorry, I am unsure of the species. They weren't really marked except with the genus name on the stakes.

Justin