This note explores the potential of N. mirabilis hybrids as houseplants.
My experience growing an [[Nepenthes mirabilis hybrid|N. mirabilis hybrid]] and [[Nepenthes spectabilis x mirabilis var. globosa BE-4523|N. spectabilis x globosa]] made me suspect that N. mirabilis hybrids are particularly suited to cultivation as houseplants -- both grow more vigorously than anything else in the collection as of 2026-09-16 and pitcher prolifically, all in just regular household conditions without a tent. I'd say that spectabilis x globosa may even surpass x rokko as a houseplant.
So I'm accumulating mirabilis hybrids to see if the trend extends more broadly. Thus far I"ve acquired 7 hybrids and one horticultural mirabilis:
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis|N. mirabilis]]
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis hybrid|N. mirabilis hybrid]]
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis pink x kampotiana]]
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis speckled x bicalcarata|N. mirabilis speckled x bicalcarata]]
- [[Nepenthes Effulgent Koto|N. Effulgent Koto]]
- [[Nepenthes (ampullaria x mirabilis) x dubia BE-3694|N. (ampullaria x globosa) x dubia BE-3694]]
- [[Nepenthes spectabilis x mirabilis var. globosa BE-4523|N. spectabilis x globosa BE-4523]]
- [[Nepenthes orbiculata x veitchii Red Tiger RE-0152|N. orbiculata x veitchii RE-0152]]
#### Failures
These plants didn't make the cut:
- [[Nepenthes (ampullaria x mirabilis) x dubia BE-3694|N. (ampullaria x globosa) x dubia BE-3694]]
- It grew relatively vigorously, but it wouldn't make upper pitchers, only lowers.
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis pink x kampotiana|N. mirabilis x kampotiana]]
- This grows slowly as a houseplant. I'll try it in a tent. I'm keeping it mostly for breeding purposes -- maybe by crossing with a highlander, I'll have similar results to BE-4523. With the kampotiana parent, it may bloom earlier or more frequently than just regular mirabilis.
#### Successes
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis hybrid|N. mirabilis hybrid]]
- This plant pitchered in the window in [[Chris Martinez|Chris's]] old office at [[100 Norrostown Pl]] in the same place where the hydroponically-grown [[Nepenthes x ventrata|ventrata]] and [[Nepenthes Poi Dog|poi dog]] from [[Pearl River Exotics]] were growing and not pitchering. It also grew great under lights in my office, though the leaves were susceptible to burn from the LEDs.
- [[Nepenthes spectabilis x mirabilis var. globosa BE-4523|N. spectabilis x globosa BE-4523]]
- The original plant I bought outperformed all other plants in the collection of the same age, as of 2026-09-16. So I bought two more clones from [[Pitcheresque]].
#### Too early to tell
- [[Nepenthes Effulgent Koto|N. Effulgent Koto]]
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis|N. mirabilis]]
- [[Nepenthes mirabilis speckled x bicalcarata|N. mirabilis speckled x bicalcarata]]
- [[Nepenthes orbiculata x veitchii Red Tiger RE-0152|N. orbiculata x veitchii RE-0152]]
---
[[Nepenthes]] | [[Nepenthes and me]]