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Nepenthes
The Nepenthesare probably one of the most popular carnivorous plants amongst enthusiasts. There are literally dozens of websites and nursery's dedicated to the cultivation of these tropical pitcher plants. This popularity has increased demands for these plants and along with this, the price. Hopefully some of the rarer ones will come down in price over time as tissue culture makes them more available. Don't worry though, there is still a wide variety of Nepenthesthat are sold at very reasonable prices.
The Nepenthesare a vine. When young, they form a rosette of leaves. Within about 5 to 8 years, they produce a climbing stem which winds its way up amongst the jungle canopy, sometimes in excess of 100 feet in length. At the top, above the highest trees, the flowers are produced.
Traps are formed at the end of of tendrils on the leaves. They start out at first as a small swelling, but quickly expand to their full size over the course of several weeks. The lid opens to reveal digestive fluids in the bottom of the trap. Prey is attracted by the gaudy colours and nectar produced by the trap. Once they move their way inside, they lose their footing and slip into the nectar. Nepenthestraps range from only a quarter of an inch long, to enormous pitchers that have been documented to trap rats.
There are two types of pitchers formed per species. The lower pitchers are those which normally have two 'wings' running down the front of the pitcher, and have the tendril running into the pitcher on this side (forcing the pitcher to do a half twist to face outwards).
The upper pitchers are generally smaller than lower pitchers, often lacking wings, and attached to the tendril at the back. These upper pitcher tendrils, before forming a pitcher, will often curl around an object such as a branch, to give the climbing stem support.
While in some species the upper and lower pitchers look similar, there are others where the two are so distinctly different that you would swear they are two different species.
All species of Nepenthesare tropical plants coming from areas such as Malaysia, Borneo, Singapore, Madagascar, India, and Australia. The plants are split up into highland and lowland varieties, depending on what elevation they grow at. Highland species are able to take lower humidity and temperature levels than are the lowlanders.
Nepenthesare threatened in many areas due to habitat destruction (burning of forests, construction of new roads). In many Asian countries, they are considered nothing more than roadside weeds, and are hacked down when doing regular ditch maintenance!
Nepenthesare colonizer plants. In most of the areas where they grow, frequent landslides occur due to the persistant rains. Nepenthesvines are broken and buried under the soil, but return quickly to recolonize the landslide areas. They are more likely to be seen in the more open, sunny areas than they are in the deep, shady jungle.
Species
There are currently over 60 species of Nepentheswith new ones being discovered every year. Most species are in cultivation, although there are probably only a couple of dozen species which are more commonly available.
Nepenthesproduce fertile hybrids when crossed, so there are hundreds, if not thousands, of hybrids and cultivars.
Soil and Containers
Soil should be an open mixture, but still capable of retaining water. There are dozens of mixes, the one I prefer is a mix of equal parts perlite, sand, vermiculite, orchid bark, and sphagnum moss. In this, I add a handful of peat moss per 8 inch pot, and on top I grow live sphagnum as an indicator of how moist the soil is.
Pots should be plastic, and 4 inches wide for smaller plants. Adult plants can use pots up to 2 feet wide, or even bigger, as when pruned they will form new offshoots and huge clumps over time.
Other people have used wooden baskets designed for orchids with great success.
Despite what some growers say, I have never found it harmful to allow Nepenthesto sit in about an inch of water throughout the year. Just be sure that the pot you are using is sufficiently deep (at least 5 inches). In nature, Nepenthesare often found growing just above the water table.
Climate
The highland species appreciate cooler temperatures, a maximum of +30 degrees celsius during the day, and down to +10 degrees celsius at night. Some species, such as Nepenthes khasianacan take temperatures down to the freezing level (although this is definitely not recommended!). These species can take somewhat lower humidity, down to 50%.
The lowland species can take warmer temperatures during the day, up to +40 degrees celsius, and only to about +18 degrees at night. They need a higher humidity level, up to 90% or higher.
Both highland and lowland species can take full sun, if gradually introduced to it. This has the effect of 'hardening' the leaves, making them more resistant to disease.
Propagation
Nepenthescan be propagated through seed, cuttings, and tissue culture.
When Nepenthesform a climbing stem, a peice of this containing about two or three leaves can be removed, dusted with rooting hormone, and place in its preferred soil under high humidity conditions. New growth will start from dormant nodes on both the cutting, and the mother plant. In this way, a single Nepenthesplant can last forever. While it is best to do this in spring, it can be done at any time of the year.
Growing Nepenthesfrom seed takes patience, but is the only way to go if you want new hybrids. Each plant produces either male or female flowers, so it is critical that you have both a male and female Nepenthesavailable. Unfortunately, they do not always come into bloom at the same time. With males, pollen can be stored dry in the freezer until a suitable mate comes along. This should be within the year, or sooner, if possible. If you have a female come into bloom with no available male, it's time to do some matchmaking and look for a suitor! A plea to the carnivorous plants listserv is your best bet. Generally, the deal is that you split half the resulting seed with whoever donates pollen.
Once seed is produced, it should be sown immediately, as it does not keep well, even in the fridge. Sow it on the same mix as adults, but with finer peices of orchid bark. Keep humid and warm and you should see germination in a few weeks. It may take 5 or more years to get an adult plant.
Nepenthesare being heavily propagated in nursery's, making them more available, and bringing down the price. This can be done through the introduction of sterlized seed, or by dissecting out the meristem region and placing it on an appropriate agar based substrate. Often, fungal outbreaks occur in cultures when using plant tissue, as many Nepentheshave a natural fungal symbiont in their tissues.
Seasonal Care
Nepenthesshould be kept frost free, and warmer, year round. Dead material should be removed. Older plants may need repotting every 4 or 5 years. Despite what the books say, the roots are not overly brittle, though you should not simply rip the plant out of its pot!
The Nepenthesbenefit greatly from feeding, and every new pitcher should have the opportunity to eat. I personally raise mealworms for this purpose, though pet stores offer a wide selection of insects, both alive and frozen, which are suitable for your plants.
Pests and Diseases
If grown hard (in full sun), Nepenthesare very resistant to disease. Under high humidity and warm conditions, fungus outbreaks can occur rapidly. Remove the infected leaves.