Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 7/9/2011

Question
Hi!
I have a small nepenthes spathulata that I have been growing for about 9 months now. Its been doing well and currently has pitchers about a inch and a half each with good coloring.
   My get hot weather ussually in the 90s or higher every day of summer and night time temps of about 75. The air conditioning in my house is set for 82. The newest leaf seams to be having some trouble unfurling and is slightly wrinkled but the growth point is already working on making another leaf. It gets about 5 hours of direct sunlight in an east facing window. Basically from sun rise until noon.
  My question is, do you think I need to find a way to cool the night temperature? The soil mixture I received it in seems to retain alot of water. It has a surface layer of sphagnum moss and beyond that going deeper feels very coarse. What signs should I look for to know its suffering for to much warmth? And would cutting off its pitchers help it at all?
Thanks!!

Answer
Hi Alaric,

Your conditions really sound just fine.  The slight deformity in the new leaf is probably nothing to be concerned about.  I know the Lelani Hapu'u Nepenthes Nursery in Hawaii has N. spathulata growing there, and their summer temperatures are warmer than what your plant is experiencing in your house.  Other than just giving it a cool drink of water in the evening, I wouldn't mess with it too much.  Fiddling around with a Nepenthes too much is a great way to make them stop pitchering.  They like their conditions nice and boring; not changing too much.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com