Nepenthes rajah (Mt. Tambuyukon, Borneo)
Original price was: 29,99€.19,99€Current price is: 19,99€. incl. VAT
An iconic pitcher plant. An absolute giant when fully grown, with pitchers up to 40cm big.
- Description
- Care
- Additional information
Description
Description
Nepenthes rajah is an absolutely iconic representative of the pitcher plants. Its ovoid pitchers with the huge opening, the jagged peristome and the deep red colour are immediately recognisable. In addition, it is one of the few Nepenthes with peltate leaves. The thick tendrils do not originate at the end of the leaf but a few centimetres from the front.
It only occurs on the slopes of Mt. Kinabalu and Mt. Tambuyukon 1500 to 2650 metres and thus belongs to the highland species.
It grows very large. The leaves can reach 60cm in length, sometimes up to 80cm. It reaches a diameter of approx. 120cm and a length of several metres. It grows slowly, typical of highland Nepenthes. The egg- to barrel-shaped pitchers grow up to 40cm high and 20cm wide. They have a volume of up to 4 litres and hold up to 2.5 litres of digestive fluid in nature.
Nepenthes rajah is certainly one of the best known pitcher plants, especially as it has a reputation for being able to catch smaller mammals such as rats. However, this is the exception and they usually only catch insects and other small arthropods in the wild. However, it is also one of several coprophagous Nepenthes species. There are glands under the pitcher lid which secrete a sugary nectar that is eaten by Mountain treeshrews (Tupaia montana). The pitchers are shaped in such a way that the tree shrews are forced to sit on the pitcher in such a way that their feces fall into the pitcher. N. rajah also lives on these nutrients.
This species should be reserved for experienced Nepenthes keepers due to the need for a strong nighttime temperature drop and its sensitivity.
You will receive a well hardened-off young plant, approx. 3 to 5 cm in diameter in a 5.5 cm pot (see picture 2 in the gallery).
Clone: BCP N2000, N2006
Nature images: © Amon Horngacher (used with permission)
Care
Up to 60 cm high
Ca. 200 cm
Full sun
8 – 25 °C
70 – 98 %
This pitcher plant likes a very bright location.
It should always be kept moist. It is not a swamp plant (unlike other carnivores), so please do not keep it in standing water. It should be watered only with water low in calcium and salts, e.g. rainwater or distilled water mixed with a little tap water. It is not necessary to spray the plant or the pitchers.
It is sensitive to warm temperatures and must be kept cool all year round. It should not get above 25°C during the day. It requires a sharp, rapid drop in temperature of around 10°C at night. This can usually only be achieved with a cooling unit (continuous flow cooler, air conditioning unit, converted freezer or similar). This plant cannot be kept in a normal terrarium without dedicated cooling and will die within a few months if it is kept too warm!
Repot only in nutrient-free substrate. A purely mineral substrate consisting of Akadama, Kanuma and Perlite has proved successful for this species. It should not be fertilized into the substrate. Fertilization is carried out through the pitchers. 1 to 3 balls of slow-release fertilizer per pitcher (depending on size) every 4 months are completely sufficient.
It prefers an increased humidity of 70% or more.
Additional information
Additional information
| Weight | 0,100 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5,5 × 5,5 × 5 cm |
| Will be shipped as | potted plant |
| pot size | 5.5cm pot |
