Question
Hi Jeff and Jacob,
I just got a rather tall 1 foot ventricosa x inermis and was wondering if I should treat as a highlander or as an intermediate or can it be both like ventricosa?  Does it require additional lighting during a Portland OR winter?  I have a ventricosa in my south window with no extra light and intermediate temps and it's doing very well.
I also have a H. heterodoxa x minor in with my highlanders.  What would you say is the minimum humidity it can take?  Would it be safe without a terrarium for at least part of the year?  Also can it survive brief heat waves into the 90s?
Thanks for everything.
Alex

Answer
Hi Alex,

If your N. ventricosa is doing well in the window the N. ventricosa x inermis should be fine there also.  We've found them to be pretty adaptable.  They just grow a bit slower.

We've found that with most Heliamphora they don't like the humidity much below 50%.  Short periods are no big deal, but every time I've tried to grow Heliamphora (and H. heterodoxa x minor is the easiest) in normal windowsill conditions, they've not done well.  They seem to need the humidity just a bit elevated.  Also, the jumps into the 90's are fine.  Our greenhouse where we keep ours is about that every day in the summer, but they get misting.  They often slow down in growth when it's hot.


Good Growing!

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