Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes) Care Sheet

Nepenthes are a unique and amazing genus of plant with a substantial variety of types and hybrids. It can be one of the easiest carnivorous plants or more difficult (depending on the type) there are to care for.

Nepenthes have a variety of climates that they grow in and are native to Asia. Their growing conditions have 3 general names for how a plant should live its life. This is made up of Lowland, Intermediate, and Highland. Like their name suggests this indicates the altitude and/or conditions needed to grow a Nepenthes broadly. We primarily sell Lowland and Intermediate and most of these plants will do great in warmer climates.

Here are some key tips for providing top notch care to your Nepenthes:

Light

Part sun or shaded sun (pool screens are great). Can also sit on a sunny windowsill inside.

Water

Water as planting material starts to dry out on top. Only use distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis water. Do not use purified water. Any water with > 50 PPM TDS will kill your plant over time. Filtered water is often not filtered enough for these plants.

Humidity: Pitcher production can be highly dependent on the humidity. Higher humidity (50-90%) is recommended.

Soil

Pure Long-Fibered Sphagnum works great for many, but ideally you want to aerate the soil by using Perlite or Coco Coir as well with a 1:1:1 ratio (LFS, Perlite, and Coco Coir) or 1:1 (LFS + Perlite). Good drainage is crucial to prevent root rot. Choose a pot with drainage holes and allow the plant to partially dry out between waterings if possible.

If you're going out of town, you can typically put your Nepenthes in a tray of water for up to a week without a major risk of root rot. Just ensure there is no greater amount than 1" of water to allow the roots to breathe.

Feeding/Fertilizer

Fertilize in the evening once a month with ¼ teaspoon of MaxSea 16-16-16 mixed with 1-gallon of water. Spray the leaves. You can also put Osmocote pellets (14-14-14) inside of a pitcher after it opens to provide food if kept indoors. If outdoors, they will get food naturally, though spraying with fertilizer will often help.

Temperatures

As mentioned earlier, our plants are generally lowland or intermediate. We recommend a 5-10F drop in temperatures minimum nightly. Plants should not be left outside in temperatures under 55F as this can hurt them, kill them, or stunt their growth. As an example, plants such as Nepenthes Bicalcarata (Lowland) and Nepenthes Veitchii (Intermediate -- though there are many variants) are typically happy and content in our Zone 10A weather.