Re: Nepenthes species, hybrids, etc.

From: CMDodd@aol.com
Date: Fri Nov 19 1999 - 13:19:35 PST


Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 16:19:35 EST
From: CMDodd@aol.com
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3946$foo@default>
Subject: Re: Nepenthes species, hybrids, etc.


<< If you want to have a named plant, you should obtain one from a
 reliable source. There are numerous extant _Nepenthes_ nurseries on
 the web.
 
 Kind regards
 Jan
>>

Dear Nepenthophiles,

     I must agree with Jan, if you want species Nepenthes, deal with a
reliable nursery or a known dealer. Hybrids Neps are fine and are a good
plant for the novice, as they are frequently easy to grow and more forgiving
of culture, as well as cheaper, but there are many plants being sold as
species that are man-made hybrids. The N. "alata" and "maxima" which are
available currently come to mind. This is particularly unfortunate as most
forms of true N. alata and many N. maxima are easy to grow in their own right
and can be very beautiful.

     If you do want hybrids try to get plants with known parantage.
Nepenthes represent a great opportunity for the hybridizer's art. There are
more species (even some undescribed) in cultivation then at any other time in
their history. Personally I think F1 hybrids of plants with some similar
traits give better results than a haphazard crossing of anything in flower.
Admittedly I have been guilty of giving away really ugly crosses (I made a
real dog once with N. vietchii x ampullaria) out to growers who wanted them,
rather han destroying them, but am not sure this is good overall for the
hobby. It is hard to throw three years of waiting in the trash!

Cliff



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