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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

Scientific name

Nepenthes alata

Genus

Nepenthes

Family

Nepenthaceae

Order

Caryophyllales

Also known as

Pitcher Plant, Monkeycups and Spotted Pitcher Plant

How to care for Tropical Pitcher Plant

💦 Water

How often to water your Tropical Pitcher Plant

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

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Tropical Pitcher Plant in your home

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 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Tropical Pitcher Plant

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Tropical Pitcher Plant: repot after 2X growth

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.

Browse #TropicalPitcherPlant

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Tropical Pitcher Plant can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!

Benefits of Growing Tropical Pitcher Plant →

Common Tropical Pitcher Plant Problems →

💦 Water Needs

Tropical Pitcher Plant is sensitive to dry soil and should be watered frequently. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Tropical Pitcher Plant Water Frequency →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Tropical Pitcher Plant requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Tropical Pitcher Plant Light Requirements →

Tropical Pitcher Plant Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Tropical Pitcher Plant is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Tropical Pitcher Plant Toxicity to Humans →

💨 Humidity

Tropical Pitcher Plant enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.

Tropical Pitcher Plant Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

Tropical Pitcher Plant is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.

When and How to Successfully Repot Tropical Pitcher Plant →

💩 Fertilizer

Tropical Pitcher Plant grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Tropical Pitcher Plant →

🌎 Native Region

Tropical Pitcher Plant is native to Old World Tropics.

🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Tropical Pitcher Plant bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Tropical Pitcher Plant is a naturally climbing plant and can be trained to climb indoors if you provide a moss pole or trellis. The newest growth will emerge from the end of the stems.

How and When to Prune Tropical Pitcher Plant →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Tropical Pitcher Plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11b-13b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Tropical Pitcher Plant Temperature Tolerance →

🌱 Propagation

Tropical Pitcher Plant can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Tropical Pitcher Plant →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant retiring old leaves.

If it seems like there’s a problem, the most likely cause of yellow leaves in Tropical Pitcher Plant is underwatering. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Yellow leaves can less often be caused by overwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Give your plant a good drink and it should perk back up and download Greg to make sure your plant never goes thirsty again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

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

@@JJboi

5 Plants

814 XP

Raleigh, NC

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

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by @JJboi named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@Emma rose

1 Plants

26 XP

Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Québec

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

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by Emma rose named Ginette on Greg, the plant care app.

@@MorbidNMacabre

21 Plants

351 XP

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

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by @MorbidNMacabre named Fred on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Charlee

5 Plants

100 XP

Douglasville, GA

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

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by @Charlee named Tolkien on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Pocahontas

48 Plants

5,091 XP

München, Bayern

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.

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by @Pocahontas named McKinley on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Spods441

5 Plants

153 XP

Melrose, MA

06/20/2021

Dies so fast

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by @Spods441 named Death plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@Plant parent

8 Plants

132 XP

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

Tropical Pitcher Plant plant photo by Plant parent named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Agatha

37 Plants

1,147 XP

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