Re: Nepenthes as Sarracenia parasites
Wayne Forrester (forrestr@mendel.Berkeley.EDU)
Wed, 11 Sep 1996 17:39:51 -0700 (PDT)
> >Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 11:36:50 -0400 From: Heggood@aol.com To:
> >cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Subject: Nepenthes as Sarracenia parasites
> >Message-ID: <960911113649_305932890@emout01.mail.aol.com>
> >
> >I live in an Atlanta suburb and have an outdoor bog in which I grow
> >my Southern CP. I have a decent stand of S. purpurea and the trap a
> >bounty of insects and the pitchers contain the typical slurry of
> >decomposed insects and enzymes.
> >
> >I grow several Nepenthes in the basement under lights in fabricated
> >growing chambers. These may catch a small insect now and then, but
> >their prospects aren't all that great. I was wondering if anyone out
> >there in the CP community has ever tried snipping off a sarracenia
> >leaf and transferring the contents to Nepenthes pitchers. would the
> >enzymes be compatable?
I wouldnt' advise it. Anytime you transfer fluid, etc from one
plant to another you run the risk of transferring infectious agents
between plants. Although I have no idea whether there are viruses, for
example, that use both Saracenia and Nepenthes, it is in general not wise
to transfer liquid from one plant to another. Anyway, Nepenthes often
benefit from a little dilute fertilizer so if you think the plants aren't
getting enough nitrogen, just give them a little fertilizer.
Wayne Forrester
forrestr@mendel.berkeley.edu