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Nepenthes Print E-mail

Plant Genus: Nepenthes

Common Name: Tropical Pitcher Plant or Monkey Cup

Number of Species: 90

Places found naturally: From Northern Australia to South-Eastern Asia

Nepenthes (Nepentheaceae)

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Nepenthes ventricosa
Nepenthes are found in places as far and wide as North Australia, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Borneo, New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as on many islands & lands around the Pacific Ocean.

The plant grows as a climbing or scrambling vine. The leaves are long and lance-shaped, growing in a rosette fashion from a central climbing stem and terminated with a tendril. The tendril is used both to support the plant as it climbs up through the undergrowth and the trap itself which forms from it. The plant has two types of traps: lower and upper. These can look very different from each other. For the structure of the trap, please see below:

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Nepenthes raffesiana
Nepenthes species can be divided roughly into two types: Lowland, which are found growing below around 1000m; and Highland, which are found above 1000m. Highland plants are tolerant of a wider range of temperatures and humidity, and actually appreciate a significant drop in temperature during night time. This can help those of us that want to grow these great plants, since the Highland species are much more adapted to our normal interior conditions in the UK than Lowland species. As a general guide, Highland species enjoy temperatures of 10 - 21° C and Lowland species from 21 - 29 °C. Lowland species require more humidity (around a constant 70%) than Highlanders, and also more stable and higher temperatures. Growing Lowlands usually requires a hot house or a heated terrarium. Highlanders will be happy with a minimum relative humidity of 60%. There are some species, and rather more hybrids, that are tolerant of both zones.

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Nepenthes hamata
The plants grow in many types of soils, mostly moist, acidic & nutrient-deficient. The plant can be found growing in forests, open ground and even up cliff faces. The soil is generally a lot more aerated than that of other CPs, and one must remember at all times that Nepenthes are not bog plants - so go easy on the watering! Nepenthes were very highly collected by the Victorians, like many plants, but due to heating costs and various conflicts many plant crosses were lost.

As a vine, Nepenthes will need space to grow to show upper and lower traps. Most growers cut the plants down to three leaves, as the plants soon recover and grow back. The sections that are removed can be used as cuttings from which to create new plants.

ImageGrowers find that some plants grows well as a hanging basket plant inside the home, and if you do not have a heated greenhouse you can grow the plants in a terrarium indoors. There are a number of conditions that need to be correct for your Nepenthes to grow well: light, water, soil, food, humidity and temperature. Most Nepenthes enjoy bright conditions, but can become discoloured (i.e. get a tan!) in strong sunlight. The plants should be watered regularly but should not be left standing in water at any time.

Unusually for Carnivorous Plants, Nepenthes need to be fed regularly with full strength fertiliser suitable for Orchids. Feed should be applied as a foliar feed about once a month.

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Nepenthes steneophylla
As mentioned above, the soil needs to be light and airy. The exact soil mix is not too important, and many growers have their own recipes. I use a mix of equal parts of sphagnum moss peat, perlite, vermiculite and long-fibred sphagnum moss. This mix satisfies the needs of the plants, and is made up from commonly available components. Some growers add lava rock, pumice and sometimes even some charcoal to the mix. Some success has been obtained using peat-free soils as well. Food is important too. Although the plants are more than capable of catching the usual airborne food, they should be fed regularly with a foliar feed suitable for Orchids about once a month. Temperature and humidity are covered elsewhere. Nepenthes should be misted regularly to boost the humidity.

There are many books that will help you grow these Nepenthes and other Carnivorous Plants.

 

 

For more plant information check out Rick Walker's CP Database

 
 
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