photo taken 12 / 05

N. tentaculata "purple"
purchase date: 3 / 02
arrived as a rooted cutting
plant origin: CP Jungle, probably Exotica Plants
photo taken: 8 / 03

N. tentaculata "spotted form"
purchase date: 3 / 04
arrived as a size 3
plant origin: Exotic Plants Plus
photo taken: 4 / 03

N. tentaculata 
purchase date: 4 / 04
arrived as a size 3
plant origin: Borneo Exotics
photo taken: 6 / 06

Nepenthes tentaculata is a scrambling vine that definitely likes to wrap its tendrils around anything to support its upward growth habit. They come in spotted, greenish color, red peristome, purple and probably a few others. I like how the green peristome contrasts with the purple pitchers. They really are a dark purple! I got this plant as a rooted cutting and it took at least 6 or so months before starting to decide to grow and put out nice pitchers. I didn't think it would ever pitcher up. But now it has new basal shoots and is doing quite well. At first I wasn't too thrilled with this plant but now I consider it one of my favorites. 

My spotted form started out as a rosette but quickly formed into a scrambling vine. It seems this species was meant for climbing. Another form I received as N. murudensis wasn't and it turned out to be  N. tentaculata. It originated from Borneo Exotics so I'm not sure what form it is. I've found that N. tentaculata is relatively easy to grow in typical highland conditions and stays small compared to other highlanders. This species grows similar to N. tobaica and N. gracilis.

Cultivation: easy-moderate; moderate to quick grower, especially as a scrambling vine
Market availability: size 3 to rooted cuttings; common
Species variability: purple, spotted with green or red peristomes, Sulawesi, G. Rajah, and other locality names
$ / size: moderate to expensive; more for rooted cuttings $25.00-$75.00
Cuttings: available at times for trade (purple variety)
Sex:  female; purple variety