Pitcher Plant
Nepenthes spp. and hybrids
Nepenthes are carnivorous climbing plants that form hanging pitchers at the tips of their leaves to trap insects. Lowland hybrids are among the easiest carnivorous plants to grow indoors in bright, humid conditions.
Photo: Alexey Yakovlev · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light
Watering
Moderate
Keep the mix moist with rainwater or distilled water; never use hard tap water.
Soil
Sphagnum moss with perlite or orchid bark; no fertilizer.
Temperature and humidity
15–35 °C · High humidity
Feeding
Do not fertilize the soil; the pitchers catch insects.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings, seed
Trim old dry pitchers and cut back long vines to encourage new growth.
Pitcher plants are not toxic.
Top Cultivation Tips
Grow in a hanging basket so pitchers can dangle.
Low humidity stops pitcher formation.
Do not empty the fluid in the pitchers.
The rare N. khasiana grows wild in Meghalaya.
Common problems
Low humidity damage
Browning, curling and crisping of leaf edges and tips on tropical plants kept in dry air, often indoors in winter.
How to treat it →PestMealybugs
White, cottony insects that hide in leaf joints and under leaves, weakening plants and spreading easily to neighbours.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →PestScale insects
Immobile, shell-covered insects that cling to stems and leaves, draining sap and weakening trees and houseplants.
How to treat it →
