Nepenthes ampullaria 'Harlequin'

Yet another nepenthes to add to my growing collection. I'm not quite sure what it is but there is something innately fascinating about these plants. Then again, when you become a collector, you tend to go over board and even the most minute of differences can mean a world of a difference. As it is, some species do not look any different, but are in actual fact, not the same species.

I got this yesterday from a new nursery (Asiatic Green)which I discovered in Singapore quite by accident. The link to his online website came up whilst I was googling for hornstedtia. The guy behind the business sells his plants primarily through the internet and exports them mainly to customers abroad. It took me a while to find the place as there was no signage and its location was not particularly obvious. When I did find it, I was half expecting to see a middle-aged guy but was instead pleasantly surprised to see a fresh young face, probably no more than 30 years of age. It was deeply inspiring to see someone his age have such drive and passion for what he does, to the extent of taking it a notch higher by delving into the online plant business. He revealed that he spends most weekends manning the little nursery, tending to the plants and making sure that everything is ship shape and ready to go. In fact, with the terribly dry weather which we have been experiencing, he tries to make it a point to go every day to water his crop. To do that, maintain his website, run his business and presumably juggle all that with a day job requires hell of a lot, not to mention at the expense of one's social life.

Anyway, this chap was kind enough to take me through his little nursery and show me his stock. I eventually ended up with a small clump of Hedychium longicornutum, a Nepenthes ampullaria 'Harlequin' and a Nepenthes ventricosa 'Madja-es' and all that definitely made me one happy camper!