Pinoycp is currently a personal website which aims to educate people the importance and of course the joy of cultivating these insect eating plants in the Philippines. But it doesnt end there. The fact that Nepenthes are classified as either lowlander and highlander gave me the idea that both of these plants should strive well under the Philippines climate. And so Im taking that challenge to prove that "NEPENTHES ARE CREATED EQUAL" - that both highland and lowland Neps can be raised under one roof. As a tropical country, we got the best of both world. The not so cold and not so hot climate just like the color of our skin not white nor black but brown. I may say that I am lucky enough to live in the Philippines since I dont need to build my green house equipped with those coslty cooling or heating system just for cultivating nepenthes. However, it may still be premature for me to conclude that the Philippine climate can host any exotic Nepenthes species that are currently in the market. But one this is sure though ... Im up for the challenge.
As we all know,
PHILIPPINES is a host to some of the most interesting carnivorous plants on earth. Im talking about NEPENTHES or
most commonly known as pitcher plant. Eversince I was a kid I always thought that this plant belongs to the family
of orchids. For one reason, my mom used to keep these plants together with her butterfly (phalaenopsis) orchids.
It was only last year 2002 that I have learned from the net other species of the pitcher plant which opened me the door to the world
of CARNIVOROUS plants.
Who would ever thought that such plant do exist on this planet. There must be a purpose on why
they are here. But I guess its too early for me to tell as I have just started my quest to understand
their behaviours. So what basically are CP's? It is believed that these plants are the result of evolution
(ooops though I still believe on creation). They are plants that were deprived of the normal nutrition that an ordinary
plant should get to sustain their growth. Since they grow on a very poor environment they somehow adapted
a strategy which will allow them to get the nutrient that they need. That is by trapping or catching a prey,
absorbing the nutrient that they can get from it and use this nutrient for their growth and development. Although
the nutrients that these plants get from the soil is enough for them to survive, it was observed that the nutrients
they get from their prey plays a significant role on their development. Terrestrial (yes there are also aquatic
species) CPs have adapted to these unfavourable factors by growing slowly. They do not require a high supply rate
of mineral nutrients from soils, as they are able to store nutrients in their organs and re-utilize them efficiently. The majority of terrestrial CPs grow in bog (a wet,
spongy swamp area made up of peat) and fen soils in which they encounter persistent unfavourable conditions.
The soils are usually wet or waterlogged and are mostly acid. These unfavorable conditions have forced these
plants to become what they are now -- THE CARNIVOROOOOOOOOUS PLANTS.
"Its ok for plants to go CARNIVOROUS but I advice you to stay VEGETARIAN"
