nepenthes rajah

The Nepenthes rajah is a carnivore with large traps

Image - Flickr / Dick Culbert

La nepenthes rajah It is a carnivorous plant with very large traps, in fact they are so large that it is often known by the name of giant carnivore. It grows naturally in Malaysia, where temperatures are warm and it rains quite frequently.

This means that in cultivation it is not an easy species to grow, especially in temperate regions where we will have no choice but to keep it indoors during the winter to make it survive.

Origin and characteristics of nepenthes rajah

Nepenthes rajah is a large carnivore.

Image - Wikimedia / JeremiahsCPs

La nepenthes rajah It is a carnivorous plant that belongs to the botanical family of Nepenthaceae (Nepenthaceae). Inhabits Mount Kinabalu and Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Borneo (Malaysia), at an altitude between 1500 and 2650 meters above sea level. Because of this, when talking about plants of its genus, it is said that it is a species of mountain or even subalpine, but this should not create confusion: it does not support frost.

It is characterized by developing very large traps, up to 41 centimeters high by 21 centimeters wide. These are urn-shaped, and are a nice red color. They can contain about 3,5 liters of water, and more than 2,5 liters of digestive fluid, so it feeds on both insects and small mammals.

Of course, it also develops leaves. They are petiolate, oblong to lanceolate, and are about 80 centimeters long by 15 centimeters wide. As a curiosity, it must be said that they are peltate, so the stem that joins it to the rest of the plant arises from the lower part of the plates, and not from the apex of these.

In addition, it blooms at any time of the year (if the climate is tropical). Its flowers are grouped in very large inflorescences, which are up to 80 centimeters long, and are reddish-brown in color. They can be female or male, appearing in different individuals. The fruit measures 10-20 millimeters and is orange-brown in color.

Unfortunately, it is in danger of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

How do you take care of yourself?

The care that you should receive nepenthes rajah They are not especially simple, and less when the weather is not good. Even so, so that you have a greater probability of success with its cultivation, we recommend taking care of it in the following way:

Location

  • Interior: the ideal is to have it in a terrarium with a lamp for plants, and where the ambient humidity inside it is high. If, in addition, a constant temperature of 20-25ºC is maintained, it can grow well.
  • Body exterior:: place it in a bright corner but without direct light. For example, under the shade of a tall plant, or a shading net.

Substratum

The most recommended substrate to grow a Nepenthes, whatever its species, It is the live sphagnum (green) or else mix 60% blond peat + 30% perlite + 10% pine bark.

When transplanting it, water the substrate before. In this way, it will be easier for you to carry out this task, and incidentally you will ensure that your plant stays hydrated from the first moment it is in its new container.

Irrigation

The Nepenthes rajah is a tropical plant

Image - Wikimedia / JeremiahsCPs

Frequent, but not exceeding. The nepenthes rajah It needs the substrate to always remain moist, but you have to be very careful with watering, since if it remains flooded its roots will die. To avoid this, check the humidity of the same, with a digital meter or, if you have it in a pot, taking it after watering and again after a few days.

If the meter tells you that it is very wet, or if the container weighs about the same after a few days of watering, then you will have to wait a bit before reaching for the watering can again.

By the way, use water that is as pure and clean as possible. If it has a lot of lime, it will not survive. It is much better to use rainwater, osmosis, or very weak mineralization water that has a dry residue of less than 200ppm (such as Bezoya's, although you can find others by analyzing them with a meter such as this, which you just have to insert it into the water to tell you what its dry residue is).

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Do not fertilize your carnivorous plant. She only feeds on the insects that fall into her traps, and she does not need more.

Transplant

La nepenthes rajah it grows slowly, and apart it is not a very large plant, so You will only have to change the pot maybe 3 or 4 times throughout its life. Do this if you see the roots coming out of the pot's drainage holes in spring, being careful not to tamper with its root system.

Choose plastic pots, since clay pots over time will drop granites or pores, and these when dismantled would damage the roots.

Rusticity

Does not resist the cold. It is recommended to grow it outdoors all year round if the climate is humid tropical, but in temperate climates it must be kept indoors when temperatures drop below 10ºC.

Where to buy a nepenthes rajah?

Nepenthes rajah grows slowly

The truth is that it is difficult to find for sale. As I have been able to find out, In Spain it is sometimes sold by online stores such as Carnivoria or Wistuba. Of course, its size is usually small.

Apparently, most of the specimens come from Borneo Exotics, which is a specialist nursery in Nepenthes, and where they are in charge of propagating them and then selling them wholesale. This would explain his difficulty in finding her.

If you are lucky, we hope you enjoy your plant very much.


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