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A lovely horticultural cross between two impressive truncata specimens!
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A monster in the making. September 2020
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Every pitcher just keeps getting better and better! June 2020
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Nepenthes truncata is one of my favorite species out of the entire genus. Although it is named because of the truncated leaves, the species is most famous for attaining absolutely massive sizes! The pitchers themselves can easily top 1 foot in length and mature specimens can be up to 5 feet in diameter. First described using only a few dried leaf specimens by John Muirhead McFarlane in 1911, he remarked that "mature plants must present a striking appearance that must rival or even surpass that of N. rajah." He was not far off! N. truncata remains one of the few pitcher plants that is documented to eat vertebrate prey in the wild, and indeed, a lot of adult N. truncata growers say that their greenhouse specimens regularly trap and consume pesky mice!
The gorgeous truncated leaves are almost heart-shaped. June 2020
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So much color! May 2020
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This particular truncata is really special to me. Predatory Plants is about an hour south of San Francisco in the lovely Halfmoon Bay. For the opening of their public brick-and-mortar storefront, they gifted visitors with a tiny Titanic Tyrant seedling that you got to choose out of a seedling flat. I remember peering over all of the tiny seedlings in the tray Josh Brown proffered to me and another customer. The other guy got there just a few minutes before me and had first pick - he selected a lovely one that was already showing bright red pitchers. I chose one of the last ones that had a lovely rosy blush on its tiny pitchers. I had no idea WHAT I had just picked, other than it was adorable. I didn't fully grasp the concept that these were genetically unique seed grown individuals sown from an utterly GIGANTIC and soon to be famous female Nepenthes truncata named Titan!
Starting to gain size! January 2020
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First frowny face! June 2019
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TINY FUZZY SEEDLING! August 2018
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This plant is extremely vigorous and definitely one of my fastest growing Nepenthes. As you can see from the pictures, every new leaf brought a sizable increase in both leaf and pitcher size. The pitcher-to-leaf ratio has been consistently impressive, the massive pitchers dwarfing the robust, heart-shaped leaves. My particular individual has a wonderful dark flaring peristome with ruffles on the edges and a dark reddish-brown elongated pitcher body with lime-green wings. The interior is has lovely speckles and the lid is constantly dripping nectar. I love comparing siblings to my plant in the Truncata Lovers Anonymous group on FaceBook - there is quite a lot of variation from within the same seed set! Some have even wider and more dramatic peristomes, others have thinner ones that fold down along the pitcher body, and the range in colors, patterns, and shapes is so interesting!
I love when the pitchers first open! Amazing colors! October 2020
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So many beautiful colors and shapes! October 2020
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Update November 2020
Older pitchers are so dark and moody!
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Wow leaf jumps! It really loves the new Carnivero Florawave SV40 lights! November 2020
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Update December 2020
SWOON
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Love the shape of this newest pitcher!
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Getting larger!!
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Titanic Tyrant definitely beat out my densiflora x robcantleyi this round!
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Current Growing Conditions: Warm Intermediate Terrarium
Light: ~170 PPFD or 9730 Lux under 4000K LED shoplights
Humidity: ~90% night and 67% day
Temperature: ~68F night and 85F day
Water: Moist but not wet
Potting Mix: 50% long fibered sphagnum moss 50% perlite. May need frequent potting up!
Fertilizer: MaxSea (1/4 tsp/gallon) every other week into pitchers
Additional Notes: Easy in warm intermediate conditions. Grows FAST. Be prepared to give it LOTS of room!
Light: ~170 PPFD or 9730 Lux under 4000K LED shoplights
Humidity: ~90% night and 67% day
Temperature: ~68F night and 85F day
Water: Moist but not wet
Potting Mix: 50% long fibered sphagnum moss 50% perlite. May need frequent potting up!
Fertilizer: MaxSea (1/4 tsp/gallon) every other week into pitchers
Additional Notes: Easy in warm intermediate conditions. Grows FAST. Be prepared to give it LOTS of room!