N. fusca that was sold as N. faizaliana

photo taken:  9 / 05

Nepenthes faizaliana has been a fairly new species to be introduced into cultivation. I purchased my first specimen back in 2000 from California Carnivores. It was labeled as N. faizaliana and I grew it out believing that was what it was. It wasn't until Tony at Exotic Plants Plus informed me that my plant was actually a N. fusca "Sarawak" and that many N. faizalianas on the market were indeed N. fusca "Sarawak." I was told that the Malesiana Tropicals clone is the real deal. There's a nice photo of this species on the poster Nepenthes Pitcher Plants of Sarawak. The book by Charles Clarke and Ch'ien Lee A Pocket Guide Pitcher Plants of  Sarawak has a nice species profile. They say that N. faizaliana can be found in some open areas at 400m which would also make this plant somewhat of a lowlander. I've never tried growing this species indoors as a lowlander though. My plants from Malesiana Tropicals have done well for me outdoors and seem to take a while to settle in before putting out new pitchers. But once established, they're very easy to care for. This is a nice species similar to N. stenophylla and N. fusca in growing habits and care is easy to maintain. 

Cultivation: easy to moderate grower outdoors; once adapted it grows well and can take full sun
Market availability: size 3, cuttings, to large plants; fairly available
Species variability: maybe some among seed grown specimens; watch out for mislabeled plants as N. fusca Sarawak 
$ / size: moderate $25.00 and up for larger plants
Cuttings: none available for trade
Sex: unknown