Nepenthes maxima x vogelii
A young plant, only a year or two after I bought it as a seedling. 
Lovely elongated pitcher body, reminiscent of N. vogelii. 
My plant, now mature. Here you can see the tri-colour peristome on my individual. 
The best of both parents - it's like a larger and more vigorous N. vogelii with a wider, striped peristome. 
This is an upper pitcher - as you can see, it inherits some of the N. vogelii shape and has a nice thick peristome. Description & Care
Nepenthes maxima x vogelii is a hybrid that I wouldn’t normally be drawn to. While I enjoy growing both of the parent species, my interest in hybrids is particularly concentrated around the dentate species (especially the Bornean taxa) and stripy show-offs involving N. veitchii, N. lowii, N. burbidgeae, and a few others. So I was surprised that this plant - which I received in a trade many years ago - eventually became one of my favourites.
From what I’ve seen of photos released by Borneo Exotics (the hybrid’s creator) and pictures posted by growers on Instagram, this is a variable cross, particularly in colouration. All seem to inherit the shape and speckled pitcher body of the male parent, including its distinctive funnel-shaped uppers. Pitchers on my plant have a bright yellow and red striped peristome that ages into patterns reminding me of a firework. The peristome remains very ‘thick’ and never completely curls back.
For many years this plant was impossible to find, as Borneo Exotics stopped producing it. But as of 2025, it seems they’ve started releasing fresh batches under the same original code (BE-3728). So be sure to ask your local Borneo Exotics distributor to grab you one - it’s an attractive, affordable, easy-growing hybrid that I’d recommend to anyone.
How I Grow It
| Media | Long fibre sphagnum moss, perlite, and - optionally - orchid bark (2:1:1). |
| Water | Damp but not wet. |
| Light | Very bright, diffused light. |
| Fertiliser | Maxsea or liquid orchid feed in the pitchers, every two weeks. |
| Temperatures | 12°C (54°F) minimum year-round, with summer highs of ~ 30°C (86°F). |
| Humidity | 70% during the day, rising to over 90% at night. |
Learn more about cultivation with my guide to growing Nepenthes.
Day & Night Temperatures
The female parent - Nepenthes maxima - is a widely distributed species found at elevations of between 40 and 2600 meters. The male parent - Nepenthes vogelii - is an intermediate species found at elevations of between 1000 and 1500 meters.
On average, the hybrid N. maxima x vogelii is likely to grow best with temperatures of approximately 22 - 32°C during the day, and 12 - 22°C at night. This range is highlighted in purple above. For further guidance on the cultivation requirements of hybrids, try out my Nepenthes Interactive Guide .
Buying N. maxima x vogelii
| Availability | BE stopped producing it for many years, but as of 2025, there's been one further release. Don't miss it. |
| Borneo Exotics codes |
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| Recommended nursery | California Carnivores Hampshire Carnivorous Plants |
