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This Nepenthes mirabilis comes from North Queensland,
Australia and grows in wet, open areas, especially swamps.
Nepenthes
mirabilis is the most widespread Nepenthes species, being
found in Northern Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong
Kong and Singapore. It is found
at low altitudes, growing below 1500 meters.
Tropical pitcher plants generally grow as vines, climbing
over other plants, and may grow as epiphytes, growing on
other plants in the forest canopy, or as low shrubs. That
plant grows well as a hanging basket plant inside the
home, in a hot greenhouse or in a terrarium in your home.
The leaves are long and lance-shaped, 10-25 cm long and 4-8
cm wide, growing in a rosette fashion from a central
climbing stem and terminated with a tendril. The tendril
is used both to support the plant as it climbs up through
the undergrowth and the trap itself which forms from it.
The traps start out at first as a small swelling, but
quickly expand to their full size over the course of
several weeks. The pitchers can reach 15 cm high and 4 cm
wide. The lid opens to reveal digestive fluids in the
bottom of the trap. Prey is attracted by the gaudy
colours and nectar produced by the trap, under the lid,
which does not close and around the rim. The pitchers of
Nepenthes species have a smooth lining. Insects and other
small animals that are attracted to the pitchers cannot
maintain a grip on this slippery surface and fall into
the pitcher. Once they move their way inside, they lose
their footing and slip into the nectar. The nectar is
also quite intoxicating. The lower section inside the
trap is covered in digestive glands and these quickly
dissolve the soft parts of the prey, leaving the remains
to drop down to the bottom into the soup.
The plant has two types of traps, lower and upper. While
in some species the upper and lower pitchers look similar,
there are others where the two are so distinctly
different that you would swear they are two different
species. The upper pitchers are generally smaller than
lower pitchers, often lacking wings, and attached to the
tendril at the back. These upper pitcher tendrils, before
forming a pitcher, will often curl around an object such
as a branch, to give the climbing stem support. Nepenthes
are dioecious, male and female flowers exist on different
plants. If you have several plants, and a few are
blooming, then you may be able to pollinate them.
Hardiness zone 10, (1°C/35°F) in Winter. Full sun is
recommended for Nepenthes. Light will color the traps of
a distinctive red mottling color on the tops of the
pitchers. Growing Lowlands usually requires a hot house
or a heated terrarium. It seems fine at 80°F. Short day
periods and cool temperatures are the most dangerous for
the plants. But, the Australian variant of Mirabilis are
particularly tough, as they must survive in a harsh
environment, which can see prolonged droughts, fires and
cool temperatures.
Species of Nepenthes grow on soils that are poor in
nutrients or on other plants where nutrients are not
readily available. Plants, such as some Nepenthes, that
grow on other plants, but do not take nutrients from the
supporting plants, are referred to as epiphytes. In order
to grow in places that are poor in nutrients, Nepenthes
have adapted a carnivorous lifestyle, which supplements
their intake of nitrogen and other nutrients. The soil
needs to be light and airy. All the plants grew in a very
wet acidic sandy soil. Use pure peat moss. You can also
use a mix of equal parts of peat moss, perlite,
vermiculite and long-fibred sphagnum moss.
The plants should be watered regularly but should not be
left standing in water at any time. Try too keep them
warm and humid but not stagnant and wet. Use rain water
or distillated water, hard city water will kill your
carnivorous plant. Lowlands and Highlands Nepenthes like
high humidity, but more for lowlands, and watering should
be done when the soil starts to look dry on the top.
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