Field Trip Part 1: Nepenthes at Predatory Plants

Today I had the pleasure (along with my friend Anne from the Cactus Jungle) of visiting the San Francisco greenhouse of Josh Brown, BACPS President and owner of Predatory Plants. Josh is one of the rare growers that is able to turn an interest in carnivorous plants into a livelihood. He specializes in Nepenthes and Drosera, but he has a decent selection of Sarracenia as well, and is slowly building up his stock of Pinguicula.

Josh and I routinely have good-natured arguments about whether or not Nepenthes suck and are stupid. While I'm not about to rush out and build a highland greenhouse, this visit was a big step in convincing me that maybe they're not as lame as I've always felt (sorry Nep lovers). First though, he wanted to show off some ant plants.

Myrmecodia sp., looking rad as hell.

Those weird white bumps are flowers. Funky.

Hydnophytum sp. Josh likes the bulbous ones.

These funny-looking epiphytes grow internal chambers in those big swollen stems, which are then colonized by mutualistic ants. These are pretty uncommon in cultivation in the US, but are apparently pretty quick-growing and often self-fertile. Josh is working with one of his greenhouse-mates to figure out good ways to cultivate/sell these. Pretty exciting for anyone with a decent greenhouse!

Nearby were the first of the day's neps: Nepenthes ×briggsiana (which is lowii × ventricosa), and a variegated Nepenthes alata.

Dig that color gradient!

I think I like this plant, even though Josh doesn't.

The N. alata was very striking, but apparently Josh sort of hates it – like most variegated plants it's finicky and not particularly vigorous. Still, people always clamor for variegated neps – which are pretty uncommon – so he keeps on propagating them. He loved the hybrid though, which I can totally understand.

Down at the other side of the greenhouse space was his work area – announced by this profusion of Nepenthes "Lady Luck" (i.e. ampullaria × ventricosa).

That's a lot of plants!

Josh is growing these guys to use with Borneo Exotics' new Bio-Dome system. The thing looks gimmicky at first, but based on what I've heard from several different growers I actually think I'm going to buy one once they're in circulation. Good-looking plants too!

Next up are three big flowering-size plants: a Nepenthes truncata with a 4-foot flower stalk, "Papa ventricosa," and "Mama maxima."

The light made getting this shot really hard.

Great color on this N. ventricosa.

Love those speckles.

Josh really likes F1 Nepenthes hybrids, and he's used all of these plants for some nice-looking crosses. Again, seeing his collection started to bring me around to the idea that simple crosses are pretty cool. We agree though that complex hybrids are usually muddy and boring-looking.

Josh has a few great Nepenthes ventricosa hybrids (see the N. ×briggsiana above), and he also has several really nice Nepenthes hamata hybrids, such as this wicked Nepenthes singalana × hamata.

Hairy and shiny.

Great teeth!

Finally, let's leave with some species, since at the end of the day species are what fascinate me.

Nepenthes aristolochioides always makes me want to crack my back.

Totally eye-popping Nepenthes sanguinea.

Look at that cute little Nepenthes argentii.

That N. sanguinea is huge, and it's one of the prettiest clones I've ever seen. The N. argentii is the smallest nep in the world. Josh has a hilarious story about how he first imported a couple dozen of them when he was just getting started and sold like 5 of them for $20 since he had no idea what they were worth on the market. He uh, doesn't sell them for $20 any more.

Check out the Predatory Plants Facebook page for more sweet carnivores, and I think Josh is on Instagram too, but I don't know for sure. And check back soon for part 2, when I get to look at plants that I actually want to grow!

Field Trip: Nepenthes at the Conservatory of Flowers

I've posted several times about how much I love the UC Botanical Garden. Another of my favorite plant destinations in the Bay Area is the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. It's a big 19th century glass greenhouse that contains a stunning collection of tropical plants, including the largest Philodendron in cultivation, a 100+ year old specimen that is the centerpiece of the Tropical Lowland room. I always forget to take a picture of the conservatory itself when I visit, but here's a decent example from Wikimedia.

The Conservatory also hosts a delightful collection of Nepenthes. I decided to document some of my favorites on my most recent visit, since I don't feature that genus much on the blog here. One note: plants at the Conservatory aren't always labeled super well. A few of these I knew offhand, a couple I made educated guesses about, and a few are NOID. Please comment with a correction if you know more than me!

This NOID (I suspect perhaps Nepenthes ventricosa x alata, i.e. N. ventrata) is what made me realize I should start taking pictures.

Lovely coloration and pitcher shape on this plant.

The vine was also really impressive. The average hobbyist greenhouse owner probably couldn't afford to devote this much space to one plant, but it makes for a wonderful display.

Probably 100 pitchers on this plant? Fantastic.

These pictures are from the Aquatic Plants room, which has a large pond and hosts a lot of epiphytic species. It has lowland to intermediate conditions.

I think I had a guess about this species but I can't remember anymore.

Some of these Neps are huge, such as the following Nepenthes truncata and Nepenthes rafflesiana.

These pitchers are like, 18 inches (45 cm) long.

I love these fat pitchers. Great coloration too.

Other are just perfectly formed, like this Nepenthes ventricosa that's almost popped its top.

It looks like it's smiling.

Or this Nepenthes bicalcarata, which has one of the most perfect pitchers I've ever seen.

Those fangs are so distinctive. Love the orange and green too.

Bicals are the largest Nep by total mass, which is clear from this vine.

This plant is like an old friend of mine I like to visit.

The nearby Tropical Highland room hosts a couple of more delicate species, including this lovely Nepenthes mikei and its vine.

These upper pitchers are so fine and delicate.

Another great vine, although somewhat more modest than the one in the Aquatic Plants room.

And this beautiful Nepenthes lowii, sporting a big fat patch of crystallized nectar.

That nectar patch looks so inviting. If only I were a shrew.

N. lowii has such a distinctive shape. If I ever start growing highlanders this one is high on my list.

A few other (non-carnivorous) plants caught my attention that day, and I couldn't not share them with the blog. Such as this insane hibiscus flower.

This is in the Potted Plants room.

I had to include my hand for scale. The flower was enormous.

And this lovely Paphiopedilum.

I love that lantern-jawed look.

Paphs are so funny looking.

In conclusion, the Conservatory of Flowers is super awesome. It's a fantastic place to visit if you're ever in the Bay Area, and are keen on weird plants.

The Potted Plant room is really magical.