N. clipeata X ventricosa
purchase date: 10 / 06
arrived as a large plant
plant origin: Exotica Plants
photo taken:  11 / 06

Nepenthes clipeata X ventricosa is an Exotica Plants hybrid between a lowlander and a highlander. There are very few hybrids with N. clipeata as the parent and I love them all. My particular plant has more of the N. clipeata influence than the N. ventricosa. I'm hoping the N. ventricosa influence will be in acclimatizing to colder temps and lower humidity as well as vigor. The plant has shown remarkable hardiness and lack of stress considering it went from the bag directly outdoors with almost no stress. Large plants purchased directly from Exotica tend to have very little roots. I was told that Exotica grows their plants in very high humidity and that's why the root balls might not be so massive. So when I get the plants and put them outdoors they stress and drop pitchers for about a month and then acclimatize and finally take off. That hasn't happened with this hybrid. The next test will be to see how well it does for me in winter. Exotica listed this plant as an intermediate but I often grow their intermediates as highlanders outdoors. Currently this plant is listed as available at the Exotica site, but often after they are all purchased you don't see them again for a while. Then they are sold as rooted cuttings when the plants are larger. So if you see an Exotica hybrid you want, get while the getting is good! 

Cultivation: moderate outdoors, possible  indoor grower; appears hardy and can take outdoor conditions
Market availability: size 3 to larger plants; available as of 11 /06
Species variability: may be some among the seed grown hybrids
$ / size: moderate to expensive $40.00 and up for larger plants
Cuttings: none available for trade
Sex: unknown