N. ventricosa X (spectabilis X northiana)
purchase date: 10 / 07
arrived as a rooted cutting
plant origin: Exotica Plants
photo taken:  11 / 07

Nepenthes ventricosa X ( spectabilis X northiana) is an Exotica Plants hybrid involving a highlander and an intermediate. Many of their hybrids involving N. spectabilis X northiana are great. I purchased the top plant in 2006 without ever seeing any photos of it. Then Exotica Plants had some photos of this hybrid in their peristome collection section and I loved it. You can see the N. northiana influence on the pitcher opening with the N. spectabilis striping. The N. ventricosa adds toughness and stockiness to the hybrid. So when Exotica updated their site, they had two versions available. If I remember correctly they were calling this the "squat" version. This hybrid is one of my favorites from Exotica. I think this hybrid will remain a "classic" like N. lowii X ventricosa and will always be in demand because of its coloration and wide variety of growing conditions. 

 

RATING
intermediate / highlander (not a naturally occurring hybrid)

Cultivation: moderate grower outdoors, maybe faster in more intermediate conditions 
Market availability: rooted cuttings; scarce (I've only seen it now from cuttings on Exotica's list on occasion)
Species variability: some variability among the seed grown plants
$ / size: collector's plant at this time
Cuttings: none available for trade
Sex: unknown