Nepenthes ramispina

[macamus3]

1st paragraph moved to Introduction Section by David

I live in Alabama in Orange Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Greenhouse needs very little help even in winter. I have just a recieved a Nepenthes ramaspina plant that apparently is an intermediate zone plant? I have been told that species is very adaptable to lowland conditions? Also need to know what light intensity this species needs? Any other suggestions or hints for this species? Also was told this species is an easy grower? Will be growing indoors in a terrium. Would it be better to use filtered sunlight or artificial light? I have a 175 Watt Metal Halide and a 250 watt High Pressure Sodium lamp but light intensity may be to much? Let me know?

Thanks

macamus3

[zakhren]

Omg I feel for your loss! I'm so sorry~ I don't know about that nep specifically sorry... But I'm sure someone here does.

[cosmoking]

ramispina is a highland plant-it probably will adapt to your lowland conditions but ramispina are apparentely quite difficult to pitcher-I knwo someoen who has an old, very healthy ramispina that grows very vigorously and is over 1 metre tall with several growth points, yet not a single pitcher! So it would probably need near perfect conditions to pitcher well.

Sorry for all your losses I would seriously die if anything like that happened to me.

[macamus3]

What are the perfect conditions? Is it like an ultra Highland species like N. lowii or more like N. sanguinea that does fine in lowland conditions if you have high humidity especially at night. I was told by the supplier that these were easy growers and his pitcher quite regularly in a terrarium. Also was told it is a slow grower. Need to know as I've kept seedling lowlanders and hybrids in windowsill type terrariums which they outgrow very quickly. I know a supplier will sometimes tell you anything to make the sale. I would like to provide the correct environment for this plant to pitcher but if it is like N. lowii or N. rajah I would rather not try due to almost immpossible here to drop night temps without power bill being astronomical. That is the main reason have not pursued growing many Highland species.

Thanks,

macamus3

[fauzi]

Hi Mac

I have visited a few natural habitat of N.ramispina in Genting Highland. It seems that N.ramispina can easily be found at an altitude of 1,000 m and above whereby you can easily find the N.sanguinea from 700 m and above. I do have a hybrid of N.sanguinea x N.ramispina of which I grow them under 50% shade and they responded well.Earlier I've put them under a more shadier place and they only produce small/tiny pitcher. I suggest that you give them a brighter light. Nightime temp in my garden is about 25 C.

Hope the information can assist you.

Fauzi

[macamus3]

Thank you Fauzi, I appreciate the info and will take to heart. I will give to a friend north of here if I have problems with it. He has a small Highland environment set up. Will try indoors in a terrarium and filtered sunlight first and supplement with flourescent growlights if needed.

Thanks again,

macamus3

[fauzi]

Good Luck

[cosmoking]

No it is not ultra highland-I would say the "perfect" temperature is probably around 15 Celcius. This plant is just a "highland", not one of those things like villosa is.

Its hard to tell for me because I go by the Orchid System of classyfying different temperature's and altitudes...for example something "very cool" for Orchids is 8 Celcius,"cool" is 10 Celcius, "Intermediate" is 12 Celcius, "Warm" is 15 Celcius and "Hot" is 18 Celcius and above.

From what Fauzi just said, "cool" and "Intermediate" growing Orchids are typically found at elevations of 1000 m or more. They should be fine in both intermediate and cool and should also do well in warm, but it depends how sensitive a species is before you can tell wheather it will adapt or not.

To be honest Im skeptical about what the supplier told you. You will have to wait and see though-you never know, if you get all the other factors right it might pitcher and grow very happily.

[macamus3]

Thank You cosmoking I appreciate all of the info as am a newbie with highland species. My indoor setups run from 15C night temp with 100% humidity to max 30C daytime temp with 75-80% humidity. I will try this species. Maybe it is already acclimated to higher temps? I don't know? Time will tell.

Thanks,

macamus3

[cosmoking]

I dont find that that much humidity is necerssary for Highland Nepenthes-my minimum humidity is 60% during the day(sometimes it drops lower though) and during the night it almost always gets over 80%. They are all very happy though-for example, the N. sanguinea "Black Beauty" is pitchering on every single leaf!

My greenhouse minimum is 12 Celcius and this will suit just about all Highland Nepenthes. If you are worried I would advise you to go down to 12 if you can- I have around 8 different Highland Nepenthes species and hybrids and they all seem to really like this temperature.

[macamus3]

Thanks cosmoking for the info on highlands. I am contiplating starting up a highland environment but still trying to figure out how to drop 3C at night. Any suggestions? My electric bill will be sky high in order to reach this temp at night. I have an idea about using a tub refigerator. Remove the door and cover with glass or plexi. Provide lighting with a 270 watt son agro High Pressure Sodium system. I haven't worked out all the particulars yet but it might work.

macamus3
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macamus3

[cosmoking]

Not sure how you can get it to go cool...its easy for me because I live in England where nights are cool throughout the year.

There are disadvantages though-I can only grow highland plants, so no ampullaria and other things for me

[macamus3]

That is why I have stayed with I have stayed with lowlanders. Much easier in my area to control. Ampularia and Bicalcarata grow very easily for me. Almost all the High humidity heat lovers can thrive here even outdoor about 8 to 9 months out of the year. Even in winter not very hard to regulate greenhouse temp. Some winters are cooler than others but this last winter temp only went into low 30's F 5 or 6 times. Humidity can be a problem in winter months though.

macamus3

[Robert]

macamus3 said:

That is why I have stayed with I have stayed with lowlanders. Much easier in my area to control. Ampularia and Bicalcarata grow very easily for me. Almost all the High humidity heat lovers can thrive here even outdoor about 8 to 9 months out of the year. Even in winter not very hard to regulate greenhouse temp. Some winters are cooler than others but this last winter temp only went into low 30's F 5 or 6 times. Humidity can be a problem in winter months though.

macamus3

Hi Macamus, the "low 30's F " in fahrenheit would be below the freezing point. Isn't this too cold for lowlanders?

[kltower]

Hi Macamus,

N. ramispina and macfarlane - they do grow together form 1000m onwards. Sometimes you do find sanguinea growing amongst them. The natural enironment receives alot of mist and rain daily.

I don't consider ramispina intermediate.

Sanguinea can adapt to high temperature of Kuala Lumpur, but not ramispina and macfarlanei. My two ramispina and macfarlanei adult plants are growing but are not pitchering but their plantlets are producing small pitchers.

So I hope your Alabama 'milder' climate will allow you grow ramispina.

Choong

[kltower]

Hi all,

Here are my ramispina plants. The adult plant is not pitchering but have 2 new growth points. It shared the pot with 2 species of orchid and live spaghnum moss.



The young ramispina and along with my sanguineas and macfarlanei are spouting little pitchers.



cheers
Choong