Basically, it is not necessary to cut a pitcher plant. If you have enough space for the plant to spread, you don't even need to use a knife. If you still want to cut Nepenthes, that's no problem. Pitcher plants tolerate pruning well and sprout again quickly.

Dried and faded leaves should be removed regularly

The pitcher plant tolerates pruning well

Even if a pitcher plant does not need to be pruned, it is not always possible to avoid shaping the plant or removing dried shoots.

Nepenthes tolerates pruning well. Even if the plant is severely cut back, it will sprout again under favorable site and care conditions. After a vigorous pruning, it often grows much more compact.

When is Nepenthes pruning necessary?

Pitcher plants sometimes tend to develop very long thin shoots. But there are no new shoots. In such cases, it may make sense to prune the plant. This stimulates the formation of new shoots. New branches also appear at the intersections, so that the pitcher plant appears bushier overall.

Reasons to prune Nepenthes:

  • Shorten the shoots
  • shape the plant
  • cut dried pitchers
  • Cut cuttings for propagation

Cut dried pitchers

When the pitchers of the Nepenthes dry up, this is usually a completely natural process. Depending on the species and attitude, it takes a few weeks to a year for the pitchers to die off. Occasionally they also dry up prematurely because the liquid they contain has been spilled.

You can of course cut off the dried cans. Wait until they are absolutely dry before cutting. As long as there is residual moisture in it, the plant can get nutrients from the old can.

Only the dried pot itself is cut. The leaf itself remains.

cut cuttings

Pitcher plants are quite easy to propagate yourself if you take cuttings in summer. To do this, choose shoot tips that are between 10 and 15 centimeters long.

The cuttings are placed in prepared seed pots (€16.68). They take root quickly in a bright, warm location. For this, the substrate must be kept moist.

tips

After cutting, experienced gardeners coat the edges of the pitcher plant with cinnamon powder. Cinnamon kills bacteria, preventing shoots from rotting.

Category:

Vegetable garden