Nepenthes Pitcher Plant
Nepenthes, aka Tropical Pitcher Plant, is a genus of carnivorous plants in the monotypic family Nepenthacaea. The pitcher is actually a swelling of the mid-vein in the leaf and insects are attracted to them because of their nectar secretions and coloration. The slippery rim (peristome) and inner walls of the pitcher encourage insects to fall into the digestive fluid at the bottom of the trap. Nutrients are absorbed from this "soup."
They should not be in a position to see the sun directly, although early morning or late evening sun is fine. Filtered sunlight through a sheer curtain is best and most homes are comprised primarily of indirect sunlight. The best spot for them is where they do not see the sun during the majority of the day but still get bright, indirect light.
They will thrive in bright light, but also can tolerate medium light. A good medium-light place in your home would be in the middle of a room that has a regular size window. They can be placed anywhere between the middle of the room and the window. Remember that plants will grow based on how much light they receive.
Allow the top quarter of the soil to dry before watering again. This usually takes about 3 - 4 days in an average home environment. It will vary depending on the time of year, your environment and lighting conditions. Expect to water more often in brighter light and less often in lower light.
They like a high humidity environment, give them a mist daily or as often as possible. Alternatively, you can put them around a humidifier. Although they won't die if they don't receive enough humidity, their leaves may have some dry, crunchy, or yellow edges.
Keep your plant in a warm room and water it with distilled or rain water. Chemicals in our tap water can often burn the pitchers. If you are growing the plant where it cannot catch insects for long periods, you can add an occasional small insect such as a fruit fly or fungus gnat.
The plant comes with a default nursery pot. The nursery pot is usually 0.5" - 1" smaller than stated to fit into the same size decorative pot. Washable Paper Planter Bags are sold separately.
As with all living things, no two plants are alike. There is some natural variation in size, shape, and characteristics. We make every effort to bring you a plant that as closely as possible matches the plant as it appears on our website, in the size you have chosen, and have a good potential to happily grow in your home.
