Expert: Christopher Littrell - 2/24/2010

Question
Hello Christopher,
I am from Yakima, Washington and I just purchased a Nepenthes from a local grocery store and any tips you can give me on keeping this killer cool plant alive would be great!
Thanks,
Valerie Aucutt

Answer
Hello Valerie,

What species of Nepenthes do you have? Sometimes the store has a name tag on the plant that might give an idea as to the basic species it is (something like Nepenthes sanguinea, ventricosa, alata, ventrata, and so forth to name a few). Also, does the plant have a dome or terrarium covering it? If so, you will have a slow process of adapting the plant to lower humidity levels. Nepenthes you find in stores tend to be the more adaptable and easier to grow species.

First off, if the plant does have a dome, do not remove it all at once for long periods of time as that can cause humidity shock. Slowly adapt the plant by lifting one side of the dome about 1/2 of an inch. After three days, do the same to the other side, then proceed to lift each side another half an inch. Keep that up for at least two to three weeks and the plant should be adapted to your home humidity. You can also just punch some holes in the dome, about half a dozen 1/4 inch holes every three days should suffice, until it looks like Swiss cheese, then remove it completely after about 2-3 weeks. Adapting a plant to low humidity is preferable, when possible, to growing them under cover as the plants are simply healthier, able to be cared for more easily, can catch insects on their own, are more resistant to mold, and can be given light properly. Note that a few Nepenthes, and other carnivorous plants, cannot be adapted to low humidity, but those are generally not carried by general stores.

For now, the pot it is in will be fine for a few months, but Nepenthes generally grow quite large. It will eventually need to be repotted into a larger pot every year and as it grows. Every time the leaves begin to droop over the sides of the pot, just repot it to an inch or two larger pot until it is in about an 8 inch or larger pot. Make sure the potting material it is in is unfertilized sphagnum peat moss and orchid bark in a 1:1 ratio or sphagnum peat, orchid bark, and coconut husk in a 1:1:1 ratio. The best way to obtain these materials is to find an online supplier that has unfertilized soils for their own stock, like cobraplant.com.

As with special soil requirements, Nepenthes have special watering requirements as well. Nepenthes should be watered with very soft water of under 50 parts per million of mineral solids. They can handle some mineral solids, like calcium, in their water, but not too much. Tap water often is too hard to water most carnivorous plants with, so stick with reverse osmosis water, distilled water, or rain water if possible (melted snow also works if you get clean snow before it is stepped on and collects pollution). "Drinking water" has minerals added for taste and human consumption, so be careful of the distinction. Nepenthes also like their soil always moist, but never too dry nor too wet. The mix of soil indicated for potting drains fast and holds in some water. If your pot has a tray under it, make sure the tray does not collect standing water from runoff for more than a few hours to a day at time as Nepenthes can suffer root rot if their roots are in standing water. Just water about twice a week and remove runoff if it does not evaporate within a day.

Nepenthes are partial sun plants that can be grown in a sunny window or under a tree outside in warm weather. Nepenthes are tropicals, so keep them in weather over 50 degrees year round. Most Nepenthes can be burned by direct, full sunlight, so just keep it in partial light. Far more light than an Ivy, somewhat less than a Rose. Inside, you can grow it under florescent lights of about 12000 to 18000 lumens, that would be 4-6 40 watt shop light tubes. If the Nepenthes is small (less than 1 foot tall), you can get by with about 6000 lumens. Once it get larger than that, it will need 12000 or even 18000 lumens about 6-8 inches from its leaves. The lights should remain on for about 14-16 hours a day.

Christopher