Saturday, August 11, 2012

Growing Nepenthes in Houston, TX

Gardening in Houston, TX is very challenging to say the least.  The best/easiest plant to grow are natives.  Native plants are adapted to the wide variety of weather conditions Houston has.  Naturally growing non-native plants, such as Nepenthes, can be quite challenging.

During the spring, summer, and fall I keep my Nepenthes outside in the shade of a crepe myrtle tree and the wooden gazebo in my backyard. They seem to do well here despite the temperatures being around 100*F for many days.  I keep them in white glazed ceramic pots to help keep their roots from over heating.  I water them every few days with collected rainwater or reverse osmosis water if it doesn't rain.

My Nepenthes.  All these species are native to the Philippines.
As you can see the sunlight is dappled.  I did put the N. truncata (2nd top left) with the Sarracenia for a little while and it was not happy - burned leaves.

Green Anole - Anolis carolinensis, these lizards are pretty smart.  They hang around my carnivorous plants waiting to steel food, drink their water, and rest in their shade.  

Nepenthes sp. #1 Philippines

Nepenthes truncata

Nepenthes alata 'Surigao'

Nepenthes ventricosa "black persistome" 

Nepenthes mira

Nepenthes copelandii

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