Nepenthes Species, Pitcher Plant, Winged Pitcher Plant

I'm thinking positive as I know its really pushing this plant to expect it to do well outdoors in a California 10a climate.

...Read More Summer,in the bright shade of the heavily planted back yard. Winter on the sunny front porch. Lets see if that works.

Plants that eat flies make me very happy! This one is hanging in a 10" pot in the shade of my Crape Myrtle. Seems to be a happy camper to...Read More me! I have to move it to a bigger pot soon.

Nepenthes Alata needs to be kept wet. Mostly it's placed in hanging pots and you need to water it from above - never in a "tray system", ...Read Morewhere the plant is exposed to water all the time, which will suffocate the roots. Always use destilled water, rainwater or boiled water, that has rested for at least 24 hours.

"Alata" needs a very high level of humidity (minimum 70%), why you have to "mist" the plant at least 1 time a day. Water it every 2 or 3 days (if very hot every day) and mist it 2 or 3 times a day. Never let it dry out! Never expose the plant to direct sunlight for more than 2 or 3 hours a day. It needs lots of light (but not direct).

Fertilizer: The plant needs fertilizer unless it's eating a lot of flies! But too much fertilizer may kill it. Feed your "Alata" with 4 to 5 flies every month (or 1 to 2 flies in every pitcher/cup every 1½ to 2 months) and spray/mist it 1 time every month with a very soft fertilizer (1/3 of the normal strenght for indoor plants). Never apply fertilizer to the "regular" or "from top" watering method. The roots are simply not able to deal with this - but the leaves are. If the fertilizer is too strong, the leaves will die (first brown then black).

Soil: Slightly acidic, well-drained and very poor in nutrients (equal sphagnum moss peat (no applied fertilizer!) tree bark and Silica Sand).

Pruning: In order not to let the plant become several meters high (not a very pretty sight) you need to cut it back in February/March. Leave at least 4 to 5 cm above earth, but all the cut-off's may be planted leaving 3 leaves above ground (if your cut-off has 5 leaves remove the lower 2. All these cut-offs become new plants under the right conditions (very high humidity, 80-90%, 60-80% shade (direct sunlight for only a few hours will kill the off-spring) always keep wet but not soaking, temperature must be around 23 to 32 C day and 21 to 28 at night).

Age: Under the right conditions the plant will grow for the next 20-25 years.

Good luck! It's actually a very easy plant to grow.

Having problems? Please contact me on bornefeldt@12move.dk

Yours
Søren Aahauge