Nepenthes x harryana

Natural Hybrid between Nepenthes villosa and edwardsiana

Description:

Nepenthes x harryana is a relatively rare natural hybrid between the species, Nepenthes villosa, and edwardsiana. It behaves as an intermediate between the two, with the same pronounced teething but a less elongated shape. The peristome retains the fangs but is highly variable, ranging from just as toothy as an edwardsiana to a villosa-like peristome to a sort of finned, intermediate of the 2. The peristome has variable coloration, with some peristomes being mixed in color, shifting through a gradient from yellow to red, yellow to green, or just retaining a solid red coloration. The color of the pitchers is more subdued, usually leaning towards a greenish-yellow color, although some individuals retain a bright red coloration similar to Nepenthes edwardsiana.

Cultivation:

From what I’ve seen, Nepenthes x harryana is easier to care for than both its parents and requires less precipitous night temperature drops than its parent, Nepenthes villosa. In terms of speed, it’s a very slow grower when small, putting out a leaf every 2-3 months. As the diameter of the plant increased from around 0.5 inches to 1 inch, the rate of growth has increased dramatically, with a new leaf forming in almost 3 weeks. Currently, I do not have any data regarding the optimal or borderline growing conditions for Nepenthes x harryana since winter here has led to highland and ultra-highland conditions. As of now, it’s growing in a makeshift terrarium with nights at around 45-55°F and days at around 70-75°F, with humidity of around 80-90% during the days and 90-100% during the nights. As we transition into spring, the temperatures should increase and I’ll test its growth under intermediate to lowland conditions.