Nepenthes Lowii Cultivation

Nepenthes lowii is fairly easy to grow as long as you can give it a temperature drop at night.

Cultivating Ease - Relatively Easy to Medium

Type - This plant is an ultrahighlander, being found in higher elevations on mountains in Borneo.

Temperature - Keeping the temperatures in the mid 80's with a night time drop into the low 60's seems to work very well, although nighttime drops into the 50's is more what it is accustomed to. I have grown it as an intermediate for about a year. It prefers a highland setup. Keeping the daytime temps out of the 90's is necessary, and if grown in a greenhouse, should be placed next to the swamp cooler.

Humidity - As a highlander, it will naturally see a drop in humidity during the day as the temperature reaches into the 80's. Average daytime relative humidity should be around 70% at a minimum. The nighttime humidity should be higher.

Light - I keep my plants in bright light to full (diffused) sun. Smaller plants can do well under lower light conditions, which may mimic the conditions in the wild. However, very low light conditions may keep lower pitchers from being produced. (Which apparantly does happen in the wild, where lower pitchers are not readily found.) Larger plants should receive high light levels, which will encourage the plant to climb.

Moisture - Keep the plant moist. Do not let the soil dry out, nor keep the soil overly wet for an extended amount of time.

Soil - Long Fiber Sphagnum

Size - This plant will eventually produce large pitchers. Small tissue culture plants can be grown for a year or two in a small chamber, but the plant will eventually need space to climb and dangle its pitchers. An excellent subject for a hanging basket when it gets larger. 

Details: Although lowii grows in elevations as high as rajah, it is much easier to grow.  It is very forgiving of night time temperatures only reaching into the 60's for at least a few months, so growers in hot climates in the summers may be able to have success with it as long as the winters are cool. Watering the plant in the early morning hours before sunrise can also help to cool the plant down.  Forms from Mt. trusmadi are much faster than those from M. kinabalu.  The kinabalu plants are sometimes referred to as N .slowii, referencing their very slow growth.  The Mt. trusmadi form is not only much faster, but also grows larger in  size.

Propagation -  Unknown

Forms - Only the typical form has been mentioned.

6" N. lowii with developing lower pitcher. Although reportedly rare in the wild, cultivated plants  produce them quite frequently.