N. ventricosa X Tiveyi "A"
purchase date: 5 / 06
arrived as a rooted cutting
plant origin: Exotica Plants
photo taken:  11 / 06

Nepenthes ventricosa X Tiveyi A is a complex hybrid using a highlander and an intermediate as parents. Exotica Plants has two versions: A and B. Unfortunately my B died after suffering from being held up during customs inspections in Los Angeles. Customs found some small insect in the shipment and had to use an insecticide on all of the plants. Many of the plants on that Exotica Plants order were lost. However this hybrid survived! This is the first pitcher and looks very similar to the one on the Exotica Plant's website. I don't know if this is an upper pitcher because there isn't much coloration in the pitcher itself. Some Nepenthes when they produce upper pitchers stay green. I'm growing this hybrid in full sun as a highlander. The fact that it has survived after what it has been through should be testament to its hardiness. The peristome is more highly ridged than some other hybrids and does have a little charm to the peristome. This hybrid might do well grown as an intermediate indoors too.Since this plant was from a rooted cutting that might mean that Exotica Plants produced this hybrid earlier and the only plants left are cuttings from their personal stock. So availability may be limited to cuttings offered at selected times from Exotica Plants or other growers that cut their plants back.

Cultivation: moderate outdoors so far, may grow faster as an intermediate
Market availability: rooted cuttings; limited
Species variability: some among the original seed grown plants; none if cuttings originate from the same parent plant 
$ / size: moderate to expensive; $40.00 - $70.00 and up depending on availability
Cuttings: none available for trade
Sex: unknown