- origin
- blossom
- leaves
- growth
- Edible
- offshoot
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- In the greenhouse
- pitcher plant in a pot
- balcony
- Propagating Pitcher Plant
- sowing
- Prune pitcher plants properly
- Water pitcher plant
- Fertilize pitcher plants properly
- hibernate
- repot
- dried up
- Diseases
- pests
- sorts
Pitcher plants are exotic plants that have become indispensable in many ornamental plant collections. They fascinate with their extraordinary way of life. Special care is important for healthy growth. The site conditions also play a decisive role.
The pitcher plant is a bizarre carnivorous plant
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- blossom
- leaves
- growth
- Edible
- offshoot
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- In the greenhouse
- pitcher plant in a pot
- balcony
- Propagating Pitcher Plant
- sowing
- Prune pitcher plants properly
- Water pitcher plant
- Fertilize pitcher plants properly
- hibernate
- repot
- dried up
- Diseases
- pests
- sorts
- Mother plant should be well developed
- Prune during the growing season in summer
- use a sharp knife
- Mixture of sand and peat
- Mixture of white peat with ten percent each of quartz sand (€15.85) and perlite
- orchid soil
- peat moss
- coarse peat with charcoal and pieces of bark
- Nepenthes ampullaria: Small, spherical pitchers with a diameter of seven centimeters. Climbs up to ten meters high. Suitable for high terrariums.
- Nepenthes mirabilis: Shrub whose trunk becomes lignified over time. Floor pitchers up to five centimeters long, hanging pitchers up to 16 centimeters tall.
- Nepenthes macfarlanei: For shady locations.
- Nepenthes aristolochioides: pitchers yellowish-green with red spots. Reminiscent of pipe bindweed blossoms.
- Nepenthes alata x ventricosa: Hybrid of upland species. Develops 15 centimeter pitchers. Suitable for beginners. Copes with low humidity.
- Nepenthes inermis x ventricosa: hybrid of upland species. Funnel-shaped pitchers up to 15 centimeters long.
origin
The genus of pitcher plants (Nepenthes) contains 92 species that only occur in a few very limited mountain areas worldwide. Their main area of distribution extends over the tropical climate zones. Here the plants climb to altitudes of over 3,500 meters.
There are upland species that are exposed to temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius during the day and thrive in 15 degrees Celsius at night. Lowland species can cope with constant temperatures between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius all year round.
Pitcher plants have been cultivated since the 19th century. There are now more than 200 hybrids that are more robust and easier to care for than the wild forms. These ornamental forms arose from crossing species found in the mid-highlands. These representatives include Nepenthes veitchii, Nepenthes ventricosa or Nepenthes fusca.
blossom
Pitcher plants are dioecious. There are male and female specimens. The flowers are tightly packed in panicles or racemes. With their 15 to 100 centimeter long flower stalks, they protrude far beyond the plant. Each flower consists of four, rarely three petals.
Male and female flowers appear between March and September. They differ in their smell. The male flowers exude an aroma that smells like excrement, which is said to attract insects as potential pollinators. Female flowers are odorless. Pitcher plants bloom extremely rarely in indoor culture.
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leaves
These carnivorous plants develop special leaves that are shaped like pitchers. A sheet consists of three parts. From the actual base of the leaf, a leaf-shaped part has emerged, which appears leathery and rough and is lanceolate to elongated or ovoid in shape.
The base of the leaf is traversed by a raised central rib that extends beyond this leaf structure and ends at the base of the pitcher. According to theories, this leaf shape evolved from the petiole. In older specimens, this midrib takes on the function of a tendril. With their help, the plants climb up the surrounding vegetation. In young plants, these leaf shapes do not have a climbing function. The actual leaf blade is transformed into a pitcher, which serves as an insect trap. They are covered by a lid.
growth
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants. They do not actively catch their prey. Their traps are brightly colored at the opening and equipped with nectaries so that the insects are attracted by scents and colors. A serrated edge of the jug shows the insects the way into the jug, from which it is difficult for them to get out again. The inside of the jug is covered with a layer of wax, which the insects cannot find a hold on. The traps taper from the abdomen to the opening, making it difficult for prey to escape.
The lid is immovable and serves as protection against rainwater and the prey being washed out by water flowing in. The pitchers contain a digestive fluid that is highly acidic. Its pH is three. Numerous enzymes ensure that the prey is completely decomposed within two days. A pitcher trap has a survival time of three months before slowly dying off.
Almost all pitcher plant species develop two different types of traps. While the young plants form rounded ground pitchers arranged in a rosette, mature plants have air pitchers or hanging pitchers. The latter are lighter in color than the ground pitchers and appear elongated. In the case of the ground pitchers, the petiole, which does not yet have a climbing function, is aligned towards the front of the pitcher. This type of trap has a clear wing bar on the front, which is missing on the air cans. In this form, the stem is oriented backwards and is used for climbing.
Edible
Pitcher plants are not poisonous. Two types are used in Malaysia to prepare snacks. People use the traps of Nepenthes ampullaria and Nepenthes mirabilis, which are eaten stuffed with rice. In traditional medicine, plants have long been used to cure various diseases. The plant sap has positive effects on bladder problems, coughs or eye diseases and skin inflammation. The digestive juice of the traps is used to prepare refreshing drinks.
offshoot
The carnivorous plants can be successfully propagated via offshoots. Take a cutting between four and six inches long from the stem between two leaves. The mother plant then appears headless. It will develop new shoots within the next few days. Put the offshoot in a moist and nutrient-poor substrate. Put a plastic bag over the planter to keep the humidity constant. To avoid mold growth, you should remove the bag for a short time every day.
It takes a few weeks for the first roots to develop. Then you can repot the cuttings into a larger container. Use a substrate specially designed for carnivorous plants. Root formation can be accelerated if you first place the offshoot in a container filled with decalcified water and then put it in orchid soil.
You should pay attention to this when cutting cuttings:
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Which location is suitable?
These plants have special requirements for the location, with highland species being adapted differently than lowland species. The latter thrive when the humidity is at least 60 percent. Upland species need a humidity of 90 percent. Depending on the species, pitcher plants need temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius all year round. Upland species are dependent on temperature fluctuations. They thrive well in daytime temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius and nighttime temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius. A sunny place promotes the growth of all representatives within this genus.
What soil does the plant need?
Carnivores need a special substrate that is adapted to the needs of carnivorous plants. They prefer nutrient-poor soil because they get enough nutrients from their prey. You can improve the permeability of the substrate with expanded clay, (19.73€) perlite (37.51€) or coconut fibers.
This substrate is suitable for pitcher plants:
In the greenhouse
Cultivation in a greenhouse is recommended for pitcher plants as they do not grow well in indoor conditions. A greenhouse ensures a consistently high level of humidity. It buffers temperature fluctuations better. Be sure to ventilate the greenhouse regularly. This will prevent mold from forming.
pitcher plant in a pot
Pitcher plants are suitable for cultivation in hanging baskets. Here you have to ensure regular spraying, because the humidity in the room is not sufficient for healthy growth. Wet the entire plant with rainwater several times a day, submerging the planter in water every three to four days. Look for a bright location.
balcony
The carnivores can be placed on the balcony in summer. Depending on whether you own a highland or lowland species, you need to be aware of outside temperatures between day and night. In southern regions, the lowland species can also be left outside at night. If the temperatures drop sharply at night, you should bring these plants indoors in the evening. Upland species are grateful for the temperature fluctuations.
Propagating Pitcher Plant
The carnivorous plants can be propagated by seeds. Since the plants bloom extremely rarely in indoor culture, the plants do not reliably form seeds. You can get these from specialist retailers. Make sure the seeds are fresh. Germination does not last long. They must therefore be spread out on moist substrate within a short time of being collected from the infructescence. Propagation via cuttings is easier and more successful.
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sowing
Put a substrate mixture of peat, peat moss, cellulose and coco hum in a seed tray. Scatter the seeds as thinly as possible on the soil and make sure that they are not covered by the substrate. The light germs require high humidity. Cover the breeding pot with a transparent film. Remove the foil daily to keep the seeds from getting moldy. The vessels must be in a bright and warm place. It takes several months for the seeds to germinate.
Prune pitcher plants properly
The carnivores tolerate pruning well. They form new shoots within a short time after a cut. If the plants develop too long and thin shoots, pruning measures make sense. A vigorous pruning ensures that the plant branches out and grows compact at the intersection. You can regularly remove completely dried leaves and shoots. As soon as a pot has died, it is removed at the base. The base of the leaf should be left on the plant if it is still green.
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Water pitcher plant
As marsh plants, the plants need a constantly moist substrate. Be sure to water regularly, more so in summer than in winter. Use rainwater. Tap water should be boiled and poured over a coaster. Prevent waterlogging so that the sensitive roots do not rot. If you water too little, the pots will wither.
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Fertilize pitcher plants properly
The carnivorous plants do not need to be fertilized. They get their nutrients from the prey they catch with their pitchers. Even if the prey catch is small, the vitality of the plants is not affected. They feed on residual nutrients from the substrate or the leaves.
hibernate
The species fall into a dormant state in winter, when growth ceases. However, the temperatures do not differ between summer and winter. Upland species need a temperature variation between day and night, even in winter, while lowland species and hybrids need constant conditions. In winter you can reduce the amount of water. Make sure that the substrate does not dry out. The lack of brightness is the biggest problem in winter. Give your pitcher plant an extra source of light in winter.
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repot
Pitcher plants should be repotted once their roots have fully penetrated the substrate. There are fast-growing species that should be transplanted annually. Slow-growing species need a larger planter about every two to three years.
Repot the plant in the summer when the growth phase is underway. At this time, the plant is strong enough to adapt to the new substrate without any problems. Choose a planter that is four to six inches larger in diameter than the old pot.
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dried up
Pitcher plants shed their spent traps after several months. With good care and site conditions, it can take up to a year for a trap to dry up. You can cut off the dried parts of the plant or leave them on the plant until they fall off by themselves.
If the pitchers dry up before opening or no pitchers are formed, the site conditions are not optimal. This phenomenon indicates that the humidity is too low or that the location is too dark. Put a large transparent glass over the plant to keep the humidity at a consistently high level. Place the plant in a bright spot.
Diseases
Nepenthes species are resistant to diseases. Mistakes in care or incorrect site conditions lead to stress and disturbances that impair growth. Root rot and mold growth are the most common phenomena caused by waterlogging. It is important to act quickly so that the plant does not suffer major damage. Remove infested plant parts and damaged roots before planting the plant in fresh substrate.
tips
By nature, the pots are one-third filled with liquid. The plants are often sold in specialist shops or in the online shop without digestive fluid. Immediately fill the jugs at home with decalcified water or rainwater. The plants then release enzymes into the water through glands in the lower part of the pitcher, so that a new digestive fluid is produced in this way.
pests
Pitcher plants can be attacked by aphids. Isolate the plant to keep the pests from spreading. A commercially available aphid remedy provides a quick remedy. Alternatively, you can expose beneficial insects to the plant. A thrips infestation can be controlled in a similar way. These pests lead to iridescent silver spots on the upper side of the leaves. They leave their droppings underneath, which appear in the form of dark, pinhead-sized dots. It can simply be wiped away with your finger.