Nepenthes (Hanging Asian Pitcher Plant)

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Nepenthes, commonly known as the Hanging or Asian Pitcher Plants, doubtless are the most ostentatious carnivorous plants next to the Venus flytrap.
• Among the most flamboyant and colorful of all plants, they are also extremes in carnivory.
• For Nepenthes are the only plants in the world that can be said to somewhat regularly eat vertebrates in the wild.
• Small lizards, mice, and even rats have been found digesting in their orchid-like traps.
• The genus occupies a vast natural range, spanning from Madagascar and the Seychelles, India, and Indochina.

SOIL REQUIREMENT

• Use a mix of 1 part dried sphagnum moss and 1 part perlite.
• Avoid using potting soil and compost, as their nutrient and mineral ingredients can kill carnivorous plants.

FEEDING/FERTILIZER REQUIREMENT

• Nepenthes respond well to foliar fertilization.
• Spray twice a month during the growing season with a dilute (10%) orchid fertilizer.

LIGHT REQUIREMENT

• Provide partial sunlight, several hours of direct sun with bright filtered light during the rest of the day.
• Avoid the full shade.
• Sun is the key element in getting your plant to grow pitchers.
• The energy provided by photosynthesis is what grows the traps, and the light from the sun is essential to producing good color.

WATER REQUIREMENT

• Unlike other carnivorous plants, Nepenthes will tolerate hard water (up to 200 parts per million) with almost no adverse effect.
• Make sure the water drains through the soil completely, hefting the pot to make sure it's heavy and saturated.
• Avoid standing water, as this can cause root rot in Nepenthes, and can make them susceptible to pests.

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