Pitcher Plant: Care, Flowering & Location of the Carnivorous Plant

The carnivorous pitcher plants from the tropics fascinate us above all with their unusual diet. We give tips on keeping it in the apartment.

The pitcher plant (Nepenthes) absorbs nutrients from the soil, but also from insects that land in their traps. For this reason, too, it is becoming increasingly popular as a houseplant. Would you like to keep a carnivorous pitcher plant in your home? We'll give you some pointers like that Nepenthes can also thrive in the room.

Pitcher plant: flowering, origin and properties

The pitcher plant (Nepenthes) is the only genus in the pitcher plant family (Nepenthaceae). To date, over 100 different species are known, some of which grow like a semi-shrub and others look like lianas that can cling to other plants with tendrils. In addition, new species continue to be discovered and hybrids bred, most of which include our more robust indoor plants.
Pitcher plants are native to Southeast Asia, but some species are also native to India, Australia, or Madagascar. the Nepenthes occurs mainly in the always humid tropics and can grow at different altitudes. Depending on the occurrence, a distinction is made between highland and lowland species, which have different temperature preferences.
The leaves of Nepenthes consist of three components: the leaf-shaped part, a tendril emerging from it, with which the plant can also gain support, and the pitcher trap at the end of the tendril. The flowers, which are arranged in grapes, are never actually seen on our indoor plants.

the Nepenthes belongs to the carnivores, i.e. flesh-eating plants. Their pitchers are passive pit traps that attract their prey by scent or color. There is nectar on the edge of the pitchers. If the prey now settles on the edge of the can, it can easily fall into the can and no longer climb out on the smooth walls. At the bottom is a highly acidic liquid with a pH of 3 in which the prey is broken down and digested. After about three months, the pot dies. The lid of the jug is immovable and serves to protect against rainwater, which could otherwise wash the prey out of the jug or dilute the digestive juices too much.

The most beautiful Nepenthes species

There are many different types of pitcher plants, some of which are presented here. However, the commercially available plants are usually robust Nepenthes-Hybrids, i.e. plants that result from crossing different species.

Pitcher plants from the warmer lowlands

These species prefer consistent, warm temperatures between 20 and 35 °C.

• Nepenthes ampullaria: This popular pitcher plant has quite small, rounded pitchers. Unlike most of their relative uses Nepenthes ampullaria In addition to insects, other organic material such as bird droppings for nutrient absorption.
• Nepenthes mirabilis: This species has elongated pitchers and has a large distribution area. The color of the pitchers can range from green to yellow to red. As a lowland Nepenthes, it prefers consistent, warm temperatures.

Pitcher plants from the colder highlands

These species are used to temperature fluctuations. In nature, it is usually warm during the day at around 25 °C. At night the temperature drops to 15 to 10 °C. The air humidity usually has to be particularly high at up to 90% for the highland species.

• Nepenthes macfarlanei: This one too Nepenthes impresses with its pitcher colouring. The yellow-green pitchers are bulbous and usually speckled with red. The highland species is native to Malaysia and can cope well with temperature fluctuations.
• Nepenthes aristolochioides: This pitcher plant is endemic to Sumatra and is also an upland nepenthes. The unusual pot shape with the side opening makes this type particularly popular. It was therefore collected on a large scale and is now considered endangered in its homeland.

Planting Nepenthes: location, soil and Co.

Pitcher plants are somewhat peculiar in their attitude, which is why some site conditions must be observed. Will the Nepenthes but properly cared for, she can develop magnificent pitchers which are also helpful in controlling flies.

The pitcher plant hybrids that can be purchased from us are usually quite robust and were bred from species at medium altitudes. A constant temperature between 20 and 30 °C is often recommended here. The location of the pitcher plant should be bright. It also grows in her home country Nepenthes mostly in sparse forests. However, you should avoid locations that are permanently in full sun, as the pitchers could be damaged by excessive light intensity.

The high humidity, which should be up to 90% depending on the species, is also of particular importance. Here, too, the indoor pitcher plants are a bit more modest and happy with a humidity of around 60%. The substrate of Nepenthes must be permeable and low in nutrients. To loosen up the soil, a little expanded clay can be mixed in, for example. In addition, the substrate should be slightly acidic. For this reason, carnivore soil often has a high peat content. In order to avoid using peat, there are attempts to produce a substrate made of pine bark, perlite and quartz sand. Here, too, an acidic pH value, good ventilation and minerals are taken care of.

Ideal conditions for pitcher plants are kept in a greenhouse or terrarium. There it is much easier to keep temperatures and humidity in the high range. However, only small, compact species should be kept in the terrarium, otherwise it can quickly become too cramped. In addition, the terrarium should be in a bright, but not directly sunny place, or you have to work with artificial light sources.

Summary: Plant pitcher plant

• Location: Bright, without direct sun, 20 - 30 °C and high humidity
• Substrate: Poor in nutrients, well drained and acidic
• Optimum conditions are easier to create in a indoor greenhouse

Pitcher plant care: the most important tips

Probably the biggest challenge when caring for pitcher plants is the high humidity. the Nepenthes should be sprayed regularly with rainwater, even several times a day in summer. An automatic water atomizer can be used for this, for example.

Do you have to feed pitcher plants?

the Nepenthes does not need to be fed as it gets all the nutrients it needs from its substrate. However, there is nothing wrong with putting an insect in the pot from time to time. However, care should then be taken to only feed one insect at a time so that the plant does not have to digest too much at once. In addition, to start the digestive process, the insect should be alive.

Water and fertilize

It is best to use rainwater or distilled water for watering. Boiled tap water can also be used if necessary. The irrigation water is then not poured directly into the substrate, but into the saucer. The plant fetches the water it needs itself and the humidity is also increased. The substrate should always be moist, but both dehydration and waterlogging should be avoided.

The pitcher plant does not need to be fertilized. It has a rather low nutrient requirement, which it covers from its substrate. If she needs more nutritional elements, she uses her traps and mainly digests insects. Should the Nepenthes If you don't have access to insects indoors, you can add a little liquid fertilizer to the substrate two to three times per growing season. For example, our is suitable for this Plantura Organic Citrus & Mediterranean Fertilizer, the the Nepenthes Among other things, they are supplied with iron and magnesium, which they otherwise mainly ingest from their prey.

Nepenthes overwinter

In the home of the pitcher plant there is no cold winter, which is why the wintering of the Nepenthes in the apartment is actually quite easy. It is best to just stay in a warm room in a bright place. Due to the dry air from the heating, it is important to ensure a consistently high level of humidity. For example, the plant can be placed on a saucer filled with expanded clay, which is then watered regularly. Too little light and moisture can easily dry up the pitchers and stagnate growth in winter, but the plant usually recovers in spring.

Cut pitcher plant

the Nepenthes doesn't really need a cut. However, if a cut is made, it will also sprout again under good conditions. Brown, dried up and dead plant parts can also be removed so that the plant no longer has to invest any energy in them.

Repot pitcher plant

Every Nepenthesspecies grows at different rates. Slow-growing species should be repotted every two to three years, and fast-growing species every year. Even if the pot is completely rooted, you should repot the pitcher plant. This is best done at the beginning of the growing season in spring.

Dried pitchers: what can you do?

That the pitchers of Nepenthes drying out is normal. They last about a year in good conditions and are then discarded. Dry pitchers can also be the result of air that is too dry or too little light. It is best to place the plant in a brighter place and put a glass over it to increase the humidity. Pots or leaves that have already dried up can be cut off so that the plant invests its energy in growing new leaves.

Propagating Pitcher Plant

The pitcher plant is propagated by cuttings. To do this, cut a 10 to 15 cm long shoot from the central stem. The cut is made between two leaves, the plant is "decapitated", so to speak. In order to reduce the transpiration surface, i.e. to curb water loss, all leaves should be cut back in half, except for the top two. The cutting is then planted in sphagnum moss or nutrient-poor and acidic substrate that must be kept moist at all times. A plastic bag over the pot increases humidity. Remove the bag regularly to avoid mold growth. After a few weeks, roots and new shoots should have formed and the cutting can be repotted. It is best to propagate only well-thriving pitcher plants during the growing season so that the mother plant can also sprout again.

Since the pitcher plant actually never flowers in indoor culture, propagation via seeds is only possible with purchased seeds. the Nepenthes-Seeds should be fresh, as germination capacity decreases quickly.

They are fascinated by the carnivorous diet of the Nepenthes? We'll introduce you to a few more carnivorous houseplants in front.