Nepenthes

Tropical pitcher plant family · 174 in this guide

Substrate

Long-fibred New Zealand sphagnum moss mixed with orchid bark, pumice and perlite.

Pot

A plastic pot suits young and lowland plants; mature, vining species often do better in a hanging basket lined with live sphagnum, giving the roots room to breathe.

Water

Distilled, reverse-osmosis or rainwater only. Water regularly from below and let the pot dry out for a few days before refilling; occasional overhead watering also helps.

Location and light

A bright windowsill with at least four hours of direct sun, or under grow lights at 15-25 cm with 10-12 hours of light a day; in a greenhouse, 30% shade cloth in summer. Too little light gives poorly formed pitchers.

Temperature

The genus splits into two groups with very different needs. Lowland species want warmth around the clock, with little difference between day and night — roughly 22-30 °C, day and night — and so do well on a windowsill or in a closed terrarium without any cooling equipment. Highland species need 21-27 °C by day and a clear night drop of 6-11 °C: without that cooler night they grow poorly. Never below 4 °C or above 32 °C.

Source: the per-species habitat data elsewhere in this guide, summarised by genus.