Expert: Christopher Littrell - 12/2/2008

Question
My Nepenthes (I think that is what it is) is quite leggy and viney.  Can I safely prune some of the "vines" with hurting the plant.  also on repotting, its in a 12 inch pot, what is the best potting mix?

Thank you

Answer
Hello Larry,

A Nepenthes is a vining plant that grows pitcher or cup shaped projections on the ends of tendrils that extend from the ends of its leaves. If your plant matches that description it is probably a Nepenthes.

Yes, you can clip off several lengths of vine and even try to root them like ivy though this is harder to do as Nepenthes to not root nor grow as quickly as ivy does. In any case, pruning the plant will cause it to grow new vines from different points on the older vines, often from the base of the plant and sometimes from the growth node above each leaf from the cut vine tip.

A 12 inch pot sounds like a good sized pot to keep a large Nepenthes in. Use Nepenthes mixes that include one part sphagnum peat moss and two parts perlite or, even better, use one part sphagnum peat moss to one part orchid bark and one part coconut husk. Several sites sell that soil pre-mixed online. I buy from cobraplant.com and have also heard good things about californiacarnivores.com. The main thing to remember about Nepenthes soil mixes is to never buy fertilized or chemically altered products or add any products that are not part of the actual mix unless it is neutral and harmless. Fertilized soil will kill most carnivorous plants rather quickly.

Christopher