Tropical Pitcher Plant - Nepenthes

Also called “Monkey Cups”, these tropical plants are native to southeastern Asia. They grow well as house plants as long as they receive ample amount of light to produce their exquisite pitchers. Artificial light can be beneficial especially in winter time to keep them happy and producing their traps.

SUN:  Provide part sun, or a minimum of three hours of direct light. If any burning occurs, move to lower light and slowly acclimate to higher light. Nepenthes need sufficient light to produce pitchers. 

WATER:  Use rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water. Keep soil moist! Place the pot in a shallow saucer and water overhead as soon as the water in the saucer evaporates.  Don't let the pot sit in water for extended periods (can cause root rot).  Wicking/African violet pots are helpful for worry free watering

TEMPERATURE AND DORMANCY:  The Nepenthes we sell will do well in average household temperatures unless otherwise noted. Protect from temperatures below 45 *F 

SOIL: Nepenthes are tolerant of a wide variety of soil mixes, so long as they are acidic and nutrient poor.  A good standard mix is one part long fibered sphagnum moss to one part perlite. 

FERTILIZER/FEEDING:  1/4 strength orchid fertilizer can be applied to the leaves and inside the pitchers once every couple weeks. You can also place 2-3 Osmocote plus outdoor/indoor pellets into the soil near the base of the plant every six months until they attain a larger size. They are not fond of large amounts of soil fertilization. Flush soil through with fresh water periodically if soil is fertilized.