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Catalogue > HOUSEPLANTS > green houseplants > Pitcher plants (Nepenthes)  

Pitcher plants (Nepenthes)

Price:€ 17.39

 Pitcher plants (Nepenthes)       (Price from 60 lt.)

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants  able to use their tube-shaped leaves to trap and digest insects. The insects are drawn in by a sweet nectar and visual lures. The inside of the tube is often too slippery for the insect to climb out. When the insects fall into the pool of water on the inside, the insects are digested by enzymes or bacteria. The reason these plants formed this method of seeking nutrition is because their native soils lack minerals or are very acidic, and this method enables the plants to compensate by getting nutrients from insects. The beautiful coloring of the pitcher plant will be much more intense if the plant receives at least a couple hours of bright, full sunlight each day, but will also grow reasonably well in partial shade.  Keep the soil very wet during the growing season, from May through October.  If the pitcher plants are growing somewhere without access to insects for an extended period of time, you can add a few small insects, such as a fly, or a cockroach, to a mature plant. However, this is usually not needed.