"Can we make a deal?"-Nepenthes

Kristin L. Mott (klmott@planetx.bloomu.edu)
Wed, 25 Jan 1995 22:42:42 +0500

This is Tom Hayes writing from my girlfriend's account and I thought I
would take a few minutes to share how I root Nepenthes cuttings......

I take a cutting that is cut right below the third leaf. I peel off the
lowest leaf, and then cut the tips off the remaining two leaves to reduce
transpiration. I dip the cuttings in the following solution for one minute:

1 Quart of water 10 drops superthrive 5 drops Wood's rooting hormone 10
drops Vitamin B1 (yes, I know B1 is already in superthrive, I add more.)

I obtain clear film canisters from a one hour photo lab (they would just
throw them out anyway- someboby may as well get more use from them), and
poke several small drainage holes in each. I have equal success using either
fine vermiculite, or live/dead sphagnum. After pushing the cutting into the
container, I place as many as seven such cuttings per gallon ziploc bag.
I place these bags side by side under a 40 watt fluorescent shop light that
is on 24 hours a day. The cuttings usually root within three weeks - some
take a bit longer..... Granted I have not tried this on any of the more
difficult species, but hopefully it will work for them as well. (Actually,
I have rooted N. tobaica with this method, and people say that it is
difficult to root.)

The clear film containers enable you to see the roots as they develop,
rather than having to disturb the cutting to check. I have a 95% success
rate thus far, making the folowing material available:

N. x boissense "rubra"
N. x mixta
N. x trichocarpa
N. x wrigleyana
N. x wrigleyana Kosobe

N. ampularia x mirablis
N. ventricosa x globamphora

N. mirablis Thailand
" Anamensis
" "red wings"
" "Winged" <--- This one is neat. It doesn't have a plain
tendril, the leaf merges with the pitcher.
This form is from Australia.
N. alata boschiana
N. gracilis
N. gracilis "red pitchers"
N. ventricosa "red pitchers"

I prefer to trade, but I also sell plants from the above list from $10-$15.
Inquire for specific prices. I realize none of this stuff is really
rare, but it is great for someone just getting started with Nepenthes. One
additional comment - all my cuttings are relatively small - I am not
trying to root tree branches in film containers. Check the cuttings
periodically throughout the rooting process because they dry out even though
they are in a plastic bag.

I also have the following plants available for trade:
(these have nothing to do with superthrive)

P. primuliflora
P. planifolia
P. lutea
P. grandiflora
P. moranensis
D. petiolaris "Erect" (Beverly Springs)
D. lanata
D. petiolaris
D. ordensis <--- just described by Allen Lowrie this year

I just wanted to mention a few that I thought may be of interest. I can
also supply many other species not listed. If anyone wants my complete list,
contact me at klmott@plantex.bloom.edu and I will send it as soon as possible.
I will be visiting her until this Sunday, so I will be able to personally
correspond until then. After Sunday, Krissy will have to relay messages,
so that will obviously take longer.

I am interested in obtaining the following species (trade for anything above)

D. rechingeri (for my girlfriend) and any other pygmies
(I lost most of my pygmies this summer, it rained too often & they drowned)

P. esseriana
P. ehlersae
P. colimensis
P. oblongiloba
P. gypsicola
P. zecheri
P. agnata
P. longifolia

Any Mexicans actually :)

S. oreophila "Don Schnell"
D. x obovata
D. schizandra
D. nagamoto
D. trinervia
D. montana var. tomentosa

***DISCLAIMER***
Sorry if I piss anyone off with this message - no offense intended. I am
simply trying to find homes for many of my "children" and adopt new ones.

One final note concerning superthrive. Dip your drosera leaf cuttings in
a solution 10 drops per quart before putting them in live spaghnum. They
produce many more plants per leaf. More on this later from the article I
am submitting to the CPN.

Take care & keep on growing,

-Tom- Hayes