Family of nepentic. Homeland Africa, Asia, Australia, the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The genus of insectivorous plants in nature has about 120 species growing in moist tropical forests.
Different species of Nepenthes can differ quite significantly in growing conditions, since they differ in nature - some, for example, Nepenthes reinwardtiana grow in the highlands (2000 m above sea level), where the temperature in the cold season can approach zero. Others, for example, Nepenthes mirabilis - in marshy lowlands, where the temperature does not drop below 14 ° C.
In indoor conditions, Nepenthes winged Nepenthes alata is an evergreen semi-epiphytic shrub, with an average height of 1.5 to 2.5 m. The leaves are alternately located, green in color, elongated oblong or lanceolate, pointed at the end, with a pronounced central vein, smoothly passing into a wide petiole at the base. Some leaves at the apex, tapering, turn into a thin antennae, at the end of which a pitcher with an operculum grows, designed to catch insects. The color of the pitchers is bright: light green with red inclusions. Inflorescences are brushes or panicles with small, rather nondescript flowers. The fruit is a box.
This type of Nepenthes is most suitable for cultivation, like a houseplant, since, unlike most others, it is able to grow at lower air humidity - 60% is enough for it.
Caring for Nepenthes
Temperature: In summer, preferably about 22-24 ° C. On particularly hot days, high humidity should be particularly carefully maintained in summer. In winter, the temperature should be at least 18 ° C with humidity above 50%. If humidity below temperature minimum is 14 ° C.
Lighting: Nepenthes loves a lot of light, shading is only required at noon in spring and summer. In winter, plants must be illuminated.
Watering: The soil should be moist all the time, don't let it dry out. However, it is also impossible to allow swamps in the pot, otherwise the roots lose the opportunity to breathe and the plant gets sick.
Fertilizer: Nepentes in nature receives nutrients from two sources - from the soil, and from the "digestion" of insects caught in water lilies. To replenish nutrients in the soil from May to August, Nepenthes are fed once every 2-3 weeks (orchid fertilizer can be used). Fertilizer is taken in a dose two times less than recommended in the instructions. Also, once a month in the summer you can throw fresh insects (mosquitoes or flies) into jugs, 2 pieces per small plant is enough. Insects can be replaced with a tiny piece of fresh meat (the size of a match head).
Humidity: The maximum you can give. The whole difficulty of caring for Nepenthes lies precisely in the fact that most species require at least 80%, for this it is best to have a terrarium or florarium.
In especially dry times, you can compensate for the lack of moisture by pouring distilled water into a jug of Nepenthes (you can replace rain water, but boiled or filtered water is not suitable). But you cannot constantly keep water in jugs, especially since you cannot put insects in a jar if water is poured there - this will lead to decay and damage to the water, from which the plant will only suffer.
Transplantation: Soil - the 1 part of leafy land, the 1 part of sphagnum moss, another composition: the 1 part of peat, the 1 part of coconut fiber, the 1 part of pine bark. You can use a purchased orchid substrate (pH should be about 5.5). Plants are transplanted as needed when the pot is small. For planting, it is better to use hanging wicker baskets or orchid boxes. If not, use only clay pots.
Reproduction: By dividing the bush, cuttings or seeds. Nepenthes is very sensitive to root injuries, so dividing the bush and transplanting must be done very carefully. For rooting, stimulants can be used - root, heteroauxin or zircon.
