Q/A #41 - Is This Nepenthes Safe to Buy?

QUESTION:
I am a beginner living in Chennai, India. I am planning to buy Nepenthes mirabilis x rafflesiana as it can withstand my temperatures. My seller doesn't have pitchers right now on the plant but promises me that it will grow soon as we are just out of winter. It has few leaves and 2.5 yrs old with a height of 15cms. Is it safe to buy?
(Submitted in February 2021.)

RESPONSE BY JEFF DALLAS:
The plant looks like a newly rooted cutting and looks healthy. It looks like it has three new leaves since the time the cutting was taken. The leaves have appropriate color and firmness. I don't see any signs of pests or disease. This hybrid will grow fast in a warm climate such as yours. But, is the cutting 2.5 years old? Or did it come from a plant that the owner had for 2.5 years? A cutting from this hybrid roots quickly. In our greenhouse, a cutting like that would be about 6-9 months old. 

Be sure to have the proper potting medium on hand when you get the plant. It looks like it's just in perlite, and that's fine to use when rooting a cutting. But, when get the plant, you want it in a mix of equal parts long-fiber sphagnum moss and perlite. I would purchase it if the price is good and it's a variety you want.

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