I got my first x ventrata in 2004 and grew it for at least 4 years. It was in a very sunny spot and didn't pitcher often, likely because the light was too much and it wasn't watered often enough. It bloomed regularly. It's often said that this plant is sterile. However, in 2026 I came across a seller who claims to have made successful crosses with it. I wonder if this is because a new clone or sport has been released, under the name "lemon alata". ### 2025 onward Purchased on 2025-10-08 as a rooted cutting from [[Pearl River Exotics]] for $9.00, order # 9450. ##### 2025-10-18 Package arrived. Inserted into [[Nepenthes in aeroponics|the experimental aeroponics setup]]. ##### 2026-10-05 One year later. It grew from a small rooted cutting to the vine below in just one year. Removed from the aeroponics setup and repotted into a 5" square pot, using the [[3to2 PerliteToBufferedCocoPeat|3:2 perlite : buffered coco peat]] mix. It was getting very large, and I didn't think I'd be able to handle it much longer without re-engineering the aeroponics setup. ![[N_ventrata_2026-10-05a.jpg|400]] Two basal shoots. ![[N_ventrata_2026-10-05d.jpg|400]] Surprisingly small root mass, given the size of the plant. That's probably both a function of its genetics, but also the efficiency of aeroponics. ![[N_ventrata_2026-10-05c.jpg|400]] The root ball with the 2" pot removed. ![[N_ventrata_2026-10-05b.jpg|400]] ##### 2026-10-17 It didn't miss a beat after the transition from aeroponics to traditional media. Below it's growing in grow area [[NPG4]]. It's the tallest plant among the four pictured. No pitchers, probably because of insufficient light. The poi dog next to it pitchered in the spring, but not afterwards. The mirabilis hybrid is pitchering, but the traps are smaller than when it was under lights. ![[nepenthes_group_2026-10-17.jpg|500]] --- [[Nepenthes I've grown]] | [[Nepenthes]]