Tropical Pitcher Plant
4.6 out of 5 (25 experiences)
Fast grower
Survivor
About Tropical Pitcher Plant
The Tropical Pitcher Plant is a carnivorous plant that usually grows as a climbing or hanging vine. The cup-shaped part of a pitcher plant is actually a modified leaf used to capture and digest insects! They typically grow in regions low in nitrogen, which is essential for plant growth, and evolved carnivory as a clever solution. Long pitchers and round pitchers often grow on the same plant to catch different types of insects 🐜.
Taxonomy
Nepenthes alata
Nepenthes
Nepenthaceae
Caryophyllales
Also known as
Pitcher Plant, Monkeycups and Spotted Pitcher Plant
How to care for Tropical Pitcher Plant
How often to water your Tropical Pitcher Plant
every 7
Tropical Pitcher Plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 7 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
7
Finding light for Tropical Pitcher Plant in your home
a window
Tropical Pitcher Plant love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Tropical Pitcher Plant does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Tropical Pitcher Plant in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Tropical Pitcher Plant
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Tropical Pitcher Plant after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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New to Nepenthes Hello - I just received this plant & I’m trying to figure out what to do with it, as this is my first Nepenthes. I’m already annoyed because I ordered/paid for a large plant bare root and they sent me a 2.5” plant but WHATEVER. Anyways, this is the only pitcher plant I’ve seen with a long stalk & I don’t like it. I don’t want to cut the stalk & risk the cutting not rooting & the pitchers dying off, so what can I do with this? Can I repot & bury most of the stalk in sphagnum or just get over my aesthetic preference & leave it alone? Also I’ve read that you should fill the pitchers so I used a little dropper to put some distilled water in each. How full should they be & is it legal to be touching them?! Any tips are appreciated! #TropicalPitcherPlant #Nepenthes #CarnivorousPlants
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Hi, I got this app along with my coffee plant. Is there a way to add more species? My Hameddy is not an Alata. #TropicalPitcherPlant
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Leaves turning black #TropicalPitcherPlant hello all! I got this plant a few weeks ago, and I repotted it here. Sometimes I leave water in the plastic base. I know the pitchers aren’t there or are dead, I didn’t know how to take care of the pitcher it had! Any advice helps
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First time pitcher plant owner This is my first time owning a pitcher plant and I want to do it right! How’s my set up? What should I know? The pitchers aren’t full of fluid, but I read that’s normal after being moved around. I know to use distilled water and to let the moss dry out between waterings (all the way or just some?). My grow light is on 12 hours a day. #PitcherPlant
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How do I make my pitcher plant grow pitchers? #TropicalPitcherPlant
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I have always been fascinated by carnivorous plants. I never thought I'd take care of one. But here I am, looking at a new pitcher grow. #pitcherplant #pitcherparents #pitcherpeople
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Rotting Nepenthes Pitcher Hi everyone! In the past few hours one of the pitchers on my nepenthes has become soft and brown from the lid down. The plant is in the bathroom and has a tray beneath it to catch water draining from the soil. I am aware that sitting in water is not healthy for nepenthes but the pot has tall feet which raise the soil out of the water. Any advice one what I should do? #Nepenthes #CarnivorousPlants #RootRot
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Is my nepenthes rotting? Hi everyone! Recently my nepenthes has been drying up pitchers very frequently and many of the leaves have been turning brown. I have asked before about leaves drying up and have been told that it’s a natural part of the plants growth cycle, however, some leaves have been dying halfway up the plant, surrounded on both side by healthy leaves. The stem these leaves are attached to is also turning brown. Another thing to note is that one of the pitchers is drying up in an unusual way. Usually the pitchers dry from the lid downwards, but this one is drying on the lid and the neck of the pitcher, but not the peristome. #Nepenthes #RootRot #CarnivorousPlants
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Just to let you all know, I have my pitcher plants in 50/50 sphagnum moss & perlite, also they are in self-watering pots with wick, so the root don't sit in water. #CommunitySpotlight
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Pitcher plant with browning leaves Hi guys, I brought home my pitcher plant during the fall and it did well outside in full sun but by spring it was getting too much sun ( leaves browning) so I tried putting it in a shadier spot but it was still turning brown. Finally I brought it inside and now I use a 8 watt led light for 8hrs. The soil is moist and I mist the leaves every day. The leaves are still brown. Any suggestions
Care Summary for Tropical Pitcher Plant
Tropical Pitcher Plant
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 7 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Fast grower 11
Survivor 8
Easy to propagate 6
Large, lush leaves 2
Blooms easily 1
Pest magnet 1
07/17/2022
DO NOT give it any nutritious soil or tap water. They like mosssssssss. Don’t feed the pitchers human food the pitchers will rot.
Fast grower
Easy to propagate
Survivor
08/29/2021
Needs a humid environment and if let outside, animals will come and investigate and tip it over because of the sweet juice inside the pitchers
Easy to propagate
Survivor
Fast grower
07/21/2021
If you’re looking to add a carnivorous plant to your collection, I’d advise you to go with the pitcher. I’ve managed to keep this one alive, but never anything else. These are a bit easier. They look tough, they’re a bit hardier, and not super expensive. We picked this up at either Lowe’s or Home Depot for about $25. Definitely recommend
06/30/2021
I literally adore this plant. i don’t water it for weeks and then i over water half the time and it still grows amazing pitchers
Survivor
06/21/2021
It was said to be a diva plant but it’s not. It needs a lot of light and water and is fine. However, I’m not 100% sure it’s pulling its weight regarding pest control.
06/20/2021
Dies so fast
06/17/2021
Honestly this is one of the easiest and best plants to have it eats pest but also is a low maintenance plant.
Fast grower
Easy to propagate
Survivor
Pest magnet
06/11/2021
So very glad I got these. I was nervous about not having enough experience with plants to make my Nepenthes thrive, but they are!
They get as much indirect sun as possible, are right against the window in a pebble tray for humidity. We water from the top to keep them moist at all times.
They have pushed out a few baby pitchers, one successfully opened its lid already! So exciting. The others are growing slowly and steadily.
On their own indoors they just catch gnats, but me and my kid feed them ants and the occasional housefly or bug we find. I also have dried bloodworms on hand.
They smell sweet!
Just delightful plants! If you can give them the correct lighting (lots) and humidity, go for it.
Fast grower
05/05/2021
High maintenance but I love her
Fast grower
03/10/2021
Don’t get me wrong, I love my pitcher plant but definitely not for a beginner.
Survivor
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