Category: Pitcher Plants

Pitcher plants are grown in homes all over the world. Growing pitcher plants indoors is possible, but it can be a challenge due to their unique requirements.

Pitcher plants can grow in indoor locations where there is access to plenty of lighting, water, bugs, and above-average humidity levels. Most pitcher plants grow comfortably at room temperature, and only some varieties require dormancy.

This guide will guide you through the process of growing Pitcher plants indoors. Pitcher plants are sensitive to many elements and can die easily if the conditions are not optimal.

Pitcher Plant Indoor Care Guide

In this section, you will learn all the main considerations for growing Pitcher plants indoors. After covering all of the main items, I have summarized them in a table at the end of the article. I grow healthy pitcher plants indoors and hope I can help you do the same with your plants!

Indoor Lighting Requirements for Pitcher Plants

Lighting is an essential requirement for Pitcher plants. They need high amounts of light exposure to be healthy.

Pitcher plants need at least 10 hours of light every day. When Pitcher plants do not receive enough light, they weaken and can eventually die. When growing Pitcher plants indoors, you can opt for natural light, artificial light, or a combination of both.

Sunny window sills are optimal locations for Pitcher plants. But, these plants can live in windowless rooms as long as they receive enough lighting.

You can employ high output fluorescent lights or LED plant lights as artificial light sources. T8 bulbs are suitable fluorescent options. For LED options, choose 40-50 Watt LED lights. I have used this small LED plant light (which costs less than $30) to grow a Nepenthes plant indoors. You can follow the link to check the price on Amazon. It is a practical and inexpensive solution.

Soil for Pitcher Plants

In the wild, Pitcher plants grow in very poor soil. And they have developed an intolerance for nutrients. Pitcher plants nutritionless soil.

Employ a combination of long-fibered sphagnum moss or peat moss with perlite or sand as a growing medium for Pitcher plants. Each of the elements in the soil must be pure and lack nutrients and fertilizers.

When growing carnivorous plants indoors, I prefer to buy already made soil intead of bags of potting media due to the limited space. I shop for carnivorous plant soil on Etsy, online nurseries, or Amazon. 1 quart of soil is enough for multiple pots.

If you want to make your own soil, here are a few examples of suitable soil recipes:

• 4:1 or 3:1 or 2:1 ratio of peat moss and perlite
• 4:1 or 3:1 or 2:1 ratio of peat moss and silica sand
• 4:1 or 3:1 or 2:1 ratio of sphagnum moss and perlite
• 4:1 or 3:1 or 2: 1 ratio of sphagnum moss and silica sand

Watering Pitcher Plants Indoors

Watering pitcher plants is a vital process. Pitcher plants require high amounts of water. They do not like to live in standing water; the soil should continuously drain excess moisture.

While growing Pitcher Plants indoors or outdoor, the soil must remain humid at all times.

If you water pitcher plants from the top, water thoroughly until the soil is humid all around (but not flooded). Once the ground is slightly less humid, water again.

When watering Pitcher plants, only employ distilled water, reverse osmosis water o rainwater (here is a guide on how to water them to the perfect level). (here is a guide on how to water them to the perfect level).. The minerals in tap water or bottled water can kill Pitcher plants.

How to Feed Indoor Pitcher Plants

Outdoor Pitcher plants capture bugs on their own. When Pitcher plants grow indoors, they can capture some insects, but it depends on the availability.

Pitcher plants consume insects to supplement their diet. They do not need to consume bugs to survive, but they benefit from consuming them. Access to feed promotes growth and strengthen the plant.

I recommend feeding indoor Pitcher plants as a supplement. You can buy some food options for your plants, such as freeze-dried bloodworms, mealworms, flake fish food, or dried crickets in most pet stores. Or you could capture live bugs from a nearby garden.

Feed a Pitcher plant by dropping a bug inside the pitcher once every 2-4 weeks.

Pitcher Plant Dormancy

Some Pitcher plant varieties undergo a dormancy period. Dormancy is like hibernation. The plant goes to “sleep” during the winter and flourish in the spring.

Pitcher plants that require dormancy need exposure to cold weather during the winter months. Those plants need to be moved outdoors or to an unheated garage, porch, or windowsill during winter. Your plant won’t need sunlight during dormancy, but it will still need a good amount of water.

Tropical pitcher plants, also known as Nepenthes, do not require dormancy and are optimal for indoor locations. Since tropical pitcher plants do not need cold weather, they can be grown indoors year-round.

Pitcher Plant Temperature Requirements

Pitcher plants can withstand a wide range of temperatures. indoor room temperatures are appropriate to grow most varieties of Pitcher plants

A common temperature range during the growing season is 60 – 80 F (15 – 27 C). Pitcher plants prefer stable temperatures, which is a great fit for indoor locations. An associated challenge for growing Pitcher plants indoors is the humidity. The next section will give you the details.

Even though most Pitcher plants grow happily at room temperatures, you should double-check the specific species you own or plan to buy.

Humidity Requirements for Pitcher Plant

Pitcher plants benefit from a humid environment. They prefer moisture rather than dryness.

Indoors, especially in airconditioned areas, it can be a challenge to provide a humid environment for Pitcher plants. To go around this challenge, I employ a humidifier.

Place an electric humidifier in the room where your plant is located and run it consistently throughout the day or at least multiple hours every day. Growing pitcher plants in open terrariums to preserve the moisture is also a common practice.

Pitcher Plant Trimming

Trimming pitcher plants is straight forward. As the plant grows, some leaves will blacken as they wither.

Employ small scissors to trim any dead leaves. Be careful during trimming and do not damage new growth.

In the wild or outdoors, microorganisms can help decompose the dead leaves. Indoors, it could take years for the leaves to break up on their own. Make sure to trim your plant often to promote growth,

Pitcher Plants and Fertilizers

Pitcher plants do not need fertilizers to be healthy.

The nutrients and minerals in fertilizers can actually hurt the plant. Instead of fertilizing pitcher plants, it is best to focus on feeding them or ensuring the plant has plenty of access to prey.

Since indoor Pitcher plants tend to have less access to insects, make sure to feed the plant at least once every 2-4 weeks. Also, consider growing your plant in a hybrid location, such as a porch or a patio where the plant grows in a controlled environment but has access to bugs.

All the nutrients Pitcher plants need are obtained through capturing bugs. It is possible to fertilize these plants, but it is risky as fertilizers can burn pitcher plants. If you decide to employ fertilizer, make sure to employ a 1/10 dilution ratio.

Pitcher Plant Care Considerations Summary

The table below contains a summary of the most important care considerations for Pitcher plants. Some items contain specific information for indoor growing; others are more general.

Care Consideration	Recommendation
Lighting:	More than 10 hours of light exposure through natural or artificial light. LED or fluorescent lights are suitable for indoor locations.
Watering:	Employ pure water sources such as distilled water, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. Water constantly and keep the soil humid at all times.
Soil:	Do not employ enriched soil. Instead, employ nutrient-free carnivorous plant soil. Carnivorous plant soil can be made up of a mixture of peat moss or sphagnum moss and perlite or silica sand. The ratios are not critical.
Temperature:	Common temperature range during the growing season: 60 – 80 F (15 – 27 C) Room temperature is appropriate for most Pitcher plant varieties.
Humidity:	> 50%
Trimming:	Trim dead leaves to promote growth.
Feeding:	Outdoor Pitcher plants capture bugs on their own. Indoor Pitcher plants need to be fed at least once a month to supplement their diet. Food options: mealworms, bloodworms, crickets, flies, fish flakes, or other bugs.
Fertilizers:	Do not fertilize
Repotting:	Repotting is not critical, but a yearly repotting can promote growth.
Dormancy:	Some pitcher plant varieties require a yearly dormancy. Nephenthes varieties do not require dormancy.
Best indoor Pitcher plant varieties:	Due to their lack of dormancy, Tropical Pitcher plants are suited for indoor growing.

For more information on pitcher plant care, you can read this article: A Complete Pitcher Plant Care Guide. It includes a downloadable care sheet! And it expands on care considerations for outdoor growing. The information can help you decide on the best strategy for outdoor vs. indoor growing.

When I first bought a pitcher plant, I was very worried about not caring for it properly and killing it. Pitcher plants require specific care instructions to thrive. After some time, I learned that growing Pitcher plants is a challenge, but can be done by following these instructions:

Care Consideration	Recommendation
Lighting Requirement:	More than 10 hours of light exposure through natural or artificial light.
Watering Requirements:	Only employ distilled water, rainwater, or reverse osmosis water. The soil must be humid at all times. Bog gardens are suitable options.
Soil:	Employ nutrient-free soil: A mixture of peat moss or sphagnum moss and perlite or silica sand.
Temperature:	Common temperature range during the growing season: 60 – 80 F (15 – 27 C)
Humidity:	> 50% humidity level is recommended
Trimming:	Occasionally trim dried up leaves and flowers.
Feeding:	Pitcher plants capture bugs on their own. There is no need to feed the plant manually.
Fertilizers:	Not required.
Pots:	Employ plastic, glazed ceramic, or glass pots with drainage.
Repotting:	Repot once a year to promote growth.
Dormancy:	Some pitcher plant varieties require dormancy.
Outdoor vs Indoor growth:	Can be grown in both outdoor and indoor environments

You can download a pitcher plant care sheet by clicking the link below. The care sheet is only a summary, make sure to read this article and get all the details.

Pitcher plants are an exceptionally beautiful and interesting family of plants to grow and care for. The very nature of a carnivorous plant begs your attention, and they are interesting to watch as they grow and feed. However, they can be considered to have a certain level of difficulty in growing, so they aren’t recommended for the beginning gardener.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive breakdown of the best way to care for your pitcher plants in both indoor and outdoor growth methods. Read thoroughly to ensure success at growing pitcher plants.

Lighting Requirements for Pitcher Plants

Pitcher plants require very sunny locations to grow and thrive. This is one of the main reasons that they aren’t recommended for indoor growth. If you are planting your pitcher plant outdoors, be sure that it is going to receive full sunlight for several hours per day.

Pitcher plants require at least 10 hours of light to be healthy. Pitcher plants that don’t receive enough sunlight will be both pale in color and weak in their growth. A sure way to kill a pitcher plant is to plant it in an area where it doesn’t receive the required hours of direct sunlight every day.

If you’re going to attempt indoor growth with your pitcher plant, it’s very important to read the care tag that came with your plant carefully. Some pitcher plants won’t receive adequate sunlight indoors and will require an additional lighting source, such as artificial plant lighting. Other types of pitcher plants will need less direct sunlight, and their leaves could actually scorch or brown if you allow it to receive too much sunlight.

Healthy pitcher plants produce bright color pitchers ready to capture prey!

Carnivorous Plant Soil for Pitcher Plants

In their natural setting, pitcher plants will be found in low nitrogen soils and other nutrient-poor soils. They also grow best in soggy soils that don’t drain completely for most of the year.

The cool thing about pitcher plants is the fact that they have adapted to overcome poor soil quality with their carnivorous nature. What nutrients they don’t receive from the soil, they simply receive from their prey insects and arthropods.

Perlite and sphagnum or peat moss blends work best for indoor and outdoor Pitcher plant growth. As long as the soil is a well-draining, low nutrient blend, it should do exceptionally well for pitcher plant growth.

Here are a few examples of suitable potting media blends:

• 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of peat moss and perlite
• 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of peat moss and silica sand
• 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of sphagnum moss and perlite
• 4:1 or 2:1 ratio of sphagnum moss and silica sand

Perlite and silica sand are both key elements to promote aeration and drainage in the soil.

The Watering Process

Watering pitcher plants can be a tricky scenario (here is a guide on how to water them to the perfect level). (here is a guide on how to water them to the perfect level).. This is due to the high humidity level necessary to grow a healthy pitcher plant, and the fact that the soil needs to stay humid at all times of the year, be it with indoor or outdoor growth of the pitcher plant.

Pitcher plants require consistently humid soil at all times. The soil should drain the excess water, but always remain moist.

In addition, there is a strict set of guidelines about the type of water that can be used for watering pitcher plants.

What Type Of Water Should I Use?

Rainwater is the absolute best water source for pitcher plants. Distilled water is your next best option.

Do not use bottled water or tap water to water your pitcher plants, as they are sensitive to the minerals and chemicals that are found in bottled water and tap water.

An important thing to remember is that the pot needs to be very well-draining because standing water in the pot will cause root rot that will kill your pitcher plant in a short period of time.

How Frequently Should I Water?

The frequency with which you water your pitcher plants, either outdoor or indoor grown, highly depends on the soil you’re growing them in. Never use a commercial potting soil mix to grow them, as it won’t have an acidity high enough to maintain healthy growth.

Pitcher plants are perennials that have a dormant winter period with no growth. The optimal type of environment for them is a bog environment, so it is important that the soil is moist enough, but not soggy. You should thoroughly drain the excess water from the pot after every watering. They must have damp soil at all times, though, in order to thrive.

If your pitcher plant is growing in the right amount of humidity, it will produce its own water after about 30 days. If you notice it is consistently dry, you need to move the pitcher plant to a more humid growth environment.

How Do You Feed A Pitcher Plant?

Pitcher plants are a genus of carnivorous plants that feed on insects and arthropods. Pitcher plants absorb the nutrients from their prey, which helps to make up for the lack of nutrients in the soil that they grow in.

Pitcher plants seek the additional food to derive nitrogen and potassium necessary for growth and maintaining itself during the winter dormancy period. However, they don’t require any more than an additional two or three feeding every few months.

A pitcher plant does not require you to feed it. They catch their own insects and arthropods for nutrition by using the mucilage that occurs naturally on their leaves to trap the insects and force them down the pitcher tube.

For a special treat for the carnivorous plant enthusiast, you can feed your pitcher plant using freeze-dried bloodworms, mealworms, flake fish food, or crickets. You can easily buy these food options in most pet stores.

How To Trim Your Pitcher Plant?

Pruning your carnivorous plant is a delicate task, and should be very carefully. After the plant has blossomed, you should take scissors and remove the bloom from its base. Also, you should trim off any part of the plant that looks yellow, brown, or wilted. This should also be done carefully with scissors in order to avoid damaging the plant.

You should take care to remove any dried up leaves. All of the decaying parts of the plant can be removed in order to ensure that new growth will occur.

You should also prune back the stems, blooms, and any untidy looking portions of the plant when you do the annual pruning.

When Is the Dormancy Period?

When winter conditions begin in your area, your carnivorous plant will begin to enter the dormancy period.

Nepenthes or tropical pitcher plants do not require dormancy. Other varieties of pitcher plants need a yearly dormancy period. Your plant does not need any sunlight during this period to survive. It should be placed in a basement or on a frost-free porch to sit out its winter dormancy period.

Dormancy during the winter is a natural mechanism that the pitcher plant has developed for protection from the harsh winter elements it is exposed to when growing in its natural environment.

Some of the carnivorous plants will grow winter leaves, as the Venus Flytrap does. Others simply drop their leaves in preparation for the winter dormancy period.

Your plant will be fine as long as it is properly stored during the winter months to avoid frost, and it will return to its active period with the spring weather. They also do not require nutrition from insects to survive in the winter dormancy period.

What Temperature Should Your Pitcher Plant Be Grown In?

Your carnivorous plant is actually really tolerant toward mild temperature changes.

Room temperature suits most species of pitcher plant just fine as long as there are no extreme highs and lows for the plant to contend with. Inside grown pitcher plants may experience a lack of humidity.

To increase the humidity for your Pitcher plant, you may want to run a humidifier in the room to ensure that it isn’t suffering from the dry, air-conditioned environment.

Ideally, you can grow your pitcher plants at a temperature range between 60 F and 80 F (15-27 C). However, some varieties of pitcher plants need different temperature spectra in order to thrive.

If you cannot ensure the proper temperatures by growing the pitcher plant outdoors, it is better to move it indoors to a steady and monitored climate so that it will survive any weather changes that are taking place.

What Is The Correct Humidity Level For Pitcher Plant Growth?

The pitcher plant is actually native to humid swamps and bogs, so they really do grow best in humid and wet conditions. However, they can develop fungus and mildew if they are left in a condition that invites water to sit and become stagnant on the plant or the roots.

A humidifier placed near the pitcher plant can really ensure that the correct humidity levels are maintained without inviting the growth of fungus, mold, or mildew.

If you can place the pitcher plant in an open terrarium that has a draft running through it, that is the ideal placement to maintain the correct humidity levels for your carnivorous plants.

Are Fertilizers Good for Pitcher Plants?

The use of fertilizers when you’re growing a pitcher plant isn’t actually necessary.

The best advice is not to use fertilizers on your carnivorous plants, as those same nutrients that are going to be supplied to the plant can be obtained from the insects and arthropods that they feed upon.

The only time that it is recommended to add fertilizer to a carnivorous plant is to maintain the soil, but it can be difficult to do with the correct dilution.

In the same way that the minerals in tap water can “burn” your carnivorous plant, fertilizers that aren’t diluted thoroughly enough will do the same thing to your plant. It is recommended if you must use fertilizer to employ a 1/10 dilution ratio, but it can still be quite tricky even then.

Should Pitcher Plants Be Repotted?

Yes, absolutely they can and must be repotted. Your carnivorous plant needs to be repotted into a larger container, or divided and repotted into several pots, every single year after the winter dormancy period. This is because the plant needs room for the roots to continue to grow, and also so it has room for extra nutrients necessary to the health and growth of the plant.

After the winter dormancy period, you should carefully divide your plant roots and stems and repot into multiple containers after you trim off the dead parts of the plant. They need to be repotted into a container with room for root growth, and with excellent drainage so that no root rot develops due to standing water in the potting soil. A 1 to 1 mix of peat moss and perlite is recommended for most Nepenthes plants, but you should always check the care tag on your plant to be sure that there isn’t a specialized blend recommended for your variety of carnivorous plant.

Pitcher Plant Varieties

Although many pitcher plants are native species to the southern United States, there are some types that do grow elsewhere in the world. They’re found thriving in nutrient-poor soils.

Before buying a pitcher plant, it is critical to choose the right variety to grow in your location. Each pitcher plant variety has specific growing requirements.

There are over 80 types of pitcher plants, and not all of them are suitable for outdoor growth, like those that are tropical in nature. It is wise to grow a pitcher plant variety that is native to your locale, as that will help the chances of the plant thriving in the natural environment.

For example, the purple pitcher plant, also known as the northern pitcher plant (sarracenia purpurea) is native to Canada but can be found growing naturally in places with temperate to cool climates without any problems.

The cobra pitcher plant (darlingtonia californica) is native to only extreme northern California and southern Oregon, and is incredibly difficult to grow outdoors in any other region because of the specific climate found in that area of the United States.

Species like the yellow pitcher plant (sarracenia flava), is much more forgiving of the climate it is growing in and can be found growing naturally in places like Texas and Florida. Certain varieties of pitcher plants, like the parrot pitcher plant, are actually on the endangered species list, and they shouldn’t be harvested from the wild or purchased from anyone because of this listing.

Indoor vs Outdoor Pitcher Plant Growing

The important thing to remember about growing pitcher plants outdoors is that the key to the plant thriving is site and soil. It absolutely matters what type of soil blend is being used in order to successfully grow carnivorous plants in any outdoor environment. It is also best if you select a pitcher plant that naturally grows in a similar climate to the climate in which you’re trying to grow it.

No rich, organic soil is needed to grow carnivorous plants in either indoor or outdoor capacity, and you should instead opt for a soil blend like a one-to-one ratio of peat moss and perlite. This is a well-draining and hearty blend that can support a healthy growth rate for a pitcher plant.

With indoor growth, it is important to remember that a pitcher plant can die if the humidity rate the plant needs to thrive isn’t achieved. When growing this type of plant indoors, it is often recommended to place a humidifier in the room so that the proper humidity levels are constantly maintained. This is especially important if they are inside a home with a central air conditioning system running, as this can quickly dry them out to the point of no longer being able to grow.

Just be sure that there are adequate amounts of sunlight if you are placing the pitcher plant either indoor or outdoor to grow, and also use the tray watering method in order to ensure that the soil stays moist enough that optimal growth can occur. If it seems as though the leaves are scorching, or turning yellow or brown, it is getting too much sunlight and should be moved to a less sunny location so that it doesn’t end up dying. Any burned or dried out leaves should be pruned off of the pitcher plant so that new growth can take place and the plant can continue to thrive and grow.

Where to Buy Pitcher Plants?

Be careful about purchasing carnivorous plants from garden centers or variety stores. Often, they are watered on the same cycle as other plants and the special conditions required for healthy growth in a carnivorous plant are not adhered to. This can be a deadly scenario for your pitcher plant and it could already be a very unhealthy plant by the time you purchase the plant and take it home.

The best places to buy pitcher plants are nurseries or greenhouses that specializes in the growth and care of carnivorous plant species. Check the plants’ conditions and ask about the care practices that they use for the plants to ensure that it has been properly cared for.

Also, be certain to check for a care tag in the plant before you purchase it. There are many different varieties of carnivorous plants, and that means that they have many different ways to be properly cared for. If you don’t have a care tag to advise you on the specialized type of care that you need to give to your pitcher plant, chances are that you will end up with an unhealthy or dead potted plant in a very short amount of time.

Be certain that you spend some time talking with the plant retailer, as they are often a wealth of knowledge about the plants that they carry, and can often give great advice about the care and growth of the plants you decide to purchase.

Considering that the pitchers or your carnivorous plants are shaped like something perfectly equipped to hold liquid, you might wonder if you are supposed to fill them with water. The answer depends on the species.

While most pitcher plants like Nepenthes produce their own digestive fluids, others are dependant on collecting rainwater and might need human help to fill up their pitchers with water. The only plant that needs to collect rainwater in its pitchers is Sarracenia Purpurea and their hybrids.

In this guide, you will learn how to fill a pitcher plant with water (when it is appropriate). Also, I will show you how to trigger your plant to produce its own fluids.

When to Fill Pitcher Plants With Water?

Especially when you keep your plants indoors and not exposed to the rain, it seems logical to give them what they are supposedly missing away from their natural habitat. But should you do that? Is it good for your plants when you fill their pitchers with water?

Pitcher plants have fluids in their pitchers. Some collect rainwater; others produce their own fluids. But, the fluids should always be present to capture and digest insects.

The Sarracenia Purpurea collects water from rainfall in its pitchers. The insects that fall into the pitchers, like for example flies, spiders, or ants, then drown in the water before they are digested. It also needs rainwater to provide a fitting habitat for the bacteria living in the pitchers.

When a Sarracenia Purpurea does not have access to enough rainwater, it is recommended to add pure water inside the pitchers. You should never add water to other pitcher plants, as they produce their own fluids.

There are no other species that contain rainwater in their pitchers. Carnivorous plants like Nepenthes, venus fly traps, or most subspecies of Sarracenia, like the Flava or Oreophila, produce their own digestive enzymes as well as the often acidic digestive fluids. Sarracenia Purpurea, though, is dependent on hosting diverse organisms in their pitcher that dissolve their prey for them.

Taller species of Sarracenia even tend to tip over when they are filled with water since they are not made to hold such a large amount of fluids – you might have noticed that the moist puddle at the bottom of their pitchers is usually quite shallow. Adding water yourself would even damage them. Most species of pitcher plants protect themselves from rain by a hood on top of the pitcher that, aside from not letting rain get in, also keep the trapped insects from escaping.

The hoods on top of a pitcher of the Sarracenia Purpurea, conversely, are angled in such a way that allows water from rainfalls to collect inside the pitcher. Since they do not properly function as hoods in the literal sense, they are sometimes referred to as lips.

If your pitcher plant is a hybrid and you are unsure whether to add water, you should compare the size and shape of its pitchers and hoods with those of Sarracenia Purpurea versus other species. This will give you an idea of how its digestion works and if it is grown to let in rainwater.

When to Add Water to a Pitcher Plant?

Add water to the pitchers of your Sarracenia Purpurea when you get the impression that it is running low in fluid since it needs this to keep the bacteria that live in its pitchers happy and thriving.

Fill the pitchers of Sarracenia purpurea only when the fluid level is low. Never fill your plants up to more than 1/3 of the total height of their pitcher. Any more than that would be too much and the pitcher would fall over.

Better start with a smaller amount of water and observe your Sarracenia when it feeds – if you get the impression that it does not manage to properly dissolve its prey, you can always add more water.

Sarracenia Purpurea: Which Type of Water Should You Add?

Carnivorous plants are quite sensitive when it comes to what kind of water is good for them. Do not make the mistake of simply giving them tap water, even though most of your other plants are happy enough with this!

Tap water contains salt and chemicals (so-called TDS, totally dissolved solids) which are harmless to humans and most house plants but might damage your pitcher plant by causing leave burning, wilting, or root burn, and eventually lead to the death of your carnivorous plant.

The degree of TDS water contains is measured in parts per million (PPM). Pitcher plants can tolerate a PPM rate between 50 and 140, but unfortunately, although the PPM rates for tap water vary widely with regards to location, they are mostly found to be between 100 and 400 PPM. This is simply too much of a risk to expose your plants to. If you are unsure about the quality of your tap water, you can order a cheap PPM meter online. The pH – the measure of acidity/alkalinity – of the water you give to your pitcher plants should be neutral at around 7.0, which you can test with pH strips available online or in aquarium or pool supply stores.

Since Sarracenia has evolved in nutrient-deficient soils, it is adapted to draw minerals from its prey instead of its soil, therefore it would be overwhelmed by water containing minerals. Aside from tap water, this also includes bottled water and filtered water. For this reason, you also should not use fertilizer on carnivorous plants.

There are three main kinds of water that are compatible with pitcher plants: rainwater, distilled water, and water resulting from a reverse osmosis process.

RAINWATER can be collected for example in buckets or rain barrels. Either place them on your balcony or garden or directly beneath the gutters coming from the drain. This, of course, might be difficult if you live in a place where it does not rain a lot, or in the case that you are renting an apartment which does not give you access to a garden or balcony.

When you have enough containers to store rainwater for a long time, make sure that these containers are opaque because light getting in would encourage the growth of algae. There are even UV-resistant containers that are specially made not age and crack in the sunlight.

All in all, using rainwater is better for outdoor plants than for indoor plants, though. No matter how much care you take to store it correctly, it is always possible that rainwater is contaminated by algae, fungi, or bacteria. Plants that are kept outside are included in an ecosystem that works at keeping potential outbreaks at bay, whereas indoor plants lack this ecosystem. If you do not want to risk this, the following methods might be better for you.

DISTILLED WATER can be purchased at the store, but you can also get a basic household distiller and distill it yourself. In a distillation unit, water is first heated to a boiling point. Thus, the water evaporates, leaving most of the contaminants behind. When the vapor is cooled down again, it results in distilled water. Since distillation only produces a few gallons of water per day, this is best for people that do not have too many plants.

REVERSE OSMOSIS systems force unfiltered water through a semipermeable membrane that allows water molecules to flow through but blocks contaminants. Water automatically flows from the more concentrated side of the membrane, which contains more contaminants, to the less concentrated side. This process removes about 99% of bacteria, chlorine, and other harmful substances in the water.

How Would Adding Water Help the Plant?

Bacteria and microbes live there and they help the Sarracenia to digest its prey since this species does not produce efficient enzymes to aid in digestion. The pitcher fluid acts as the organism which these helpful species occupy. Adding water thus creates this habitat necessary for your carnivorous plant to be able to take nutrients from the insects that it traps.

What to Do There if There No Liquid in a Pitcher Plant?

When you notice that there is no liquid inside the pitcher of a plant that usually produces its digestive fluid itself, this can be a sign that the humidity in the room is too low. In this case, you might consider growing the plant in a greenhouse – if you do not have the outdoor space for this, there are humidifiers available that will fit on your windowsill or a table.

Pitcher plants usually grow in pretty humid climates. They need to take humidity from the air and soil to produce liquids inside their pitchers. The digestive fluid is secreted into their pitcher by the same glands that are also evolved to take the nutrients from the dissolved prey.

Digestive fluid largely contains two enzymes: Basic chitinase, which is able to disintegrate the hard exoskeletons of insects, and purple acid phosphatase, which is what makes it possible for the plant to absorb the nutrients.

Do you want to learn how to feed your Pitcher plant? This guide can help you learn which bugs to employ and how to do it: What To Feed a Pitcher Plant: A Comprehensive List (Plus Feeding Tips)

Also, make sure to read my complete guide to Pitcher plant care.

Before buying Pitcher plants to grow at home I did in-depth research to investigate Pitcher plants are safe to grow at home. Luckily, I found some encouring information.

Pitcher plants are not poisonous to humans or pets. Also, contact with Pitcher plants is completely harmless. These plants make up safe and beautiful houseplants.

This article will give you an overview on how Pitcher plants can make up great houseplants. Also, it will give you pointers to avoid harming Pitcher plants.

Are Pitcher Plants Poisonous to Humans?

Pitcher plants are unable to poison humans not only if they accidentally come in contact with either their digestive fluid or any other part of the plant; pitcher plants are also non-toxic to such a degree that they are being eaten in some parts of the world.

In Malaysia, for example, people like to snack on _lemang periuk kera_, which is a dish made of sticky rice that is wrapped in the trap of a pitcher plant which is then cooked in coconut milk. As you can see, you are more likely to eat a nepenthes than it is likely for them to eat you!

While your children should not attempt to eat up a whole pitcher plant, they are harmless to the touch and even way safer than other popular house plants. Nepenthes pose no threat to the curious fingers of exploring toddlers.

Are Nepenthes Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?

As all pet owners know, it is close to impossible to hinder either cats or dogs from putting things in their mouths. They like nibbling at and licking everything they can get to, be it actual food, furniture, or houseplants. In the latter case, a carnivorous and exotic plant might give the impression that it poses a risk. Especially cats are known to be attracted to plants because they enjoy their fibrous texture that, when it is consumed in small amounts, or when it comes in the form of special plants like kitty grass, can aid their digestion.

There is no reason to worry about your cat’s health when it happened to eat part of a Pitcher plant. Digesting a few bites of a Nepenthes might result in mild digestive issues in cats but usually does not lead to the display of any serious, long-lasting effects.

In the case that your pet has consumed large quantities of such a plant, though, there are nevertheless some symptoms that you should keep an eye out for: if you notice your cat vomiting a lot, suffering from diarrhea, being unusually lethargic, or displaying a rash or any other kind of irritation around their mouth you should contact a vet. When you need to visit a veterinarian because of symptoms like these, it makes a lot of sense when you take a piece of your pitcher plant with you, so that they know what they are dealing with and can assess the situation quickly and competently.

In general, it will be more important to save the plant from your pet and not the other way round. There are some things you can do to avoid your house plants ending up chewed up or shredded. Some plants even defend themselves by their taste. Venus flytraps, another well-loved carnivorous plant, for example, are known to taste sour and thus not to be to the liking of cats.

To protect plants with a more delicious taste from maltreatment by a cat, you can make sure that your cat always has some kitty grass or catnip to keep them busy. Aside from that, you should try to put your nepenthes in locations that the cat cannot reach. While cats might be likely to crawl up shelves and jump onto whatever when it comes to dogs it is often enough to simply put your plant somewhere up high. A hanging planter is a good idea in both cases. Just make sure to put it somewhere in the room where the cat cannot jump to from other high locations.

Are Pitcher Plants Dangerous in Any Way?

Back in the 19th century, the European adventurers and explorers traveling the world brought back home stories of cruel, man-eating plants that lurk in exotic rain forests. Nowadays we know that this is not true. Now we know that nepenthes do not grow remotely tall enough to ingest a human being. Nevertheless, this shows that pitcher plants have fascinated and scared human beings for a long time. Especially the most well-known of them, which are the species that belong to the genus called nepenthes, drew botanists as well as laypeople in by being both scary and undeniably beautiful.

Both intrigued and somehow a little fearful we still like to observe the insects that fall into the trap of a pitcher plant. But, are these carnivorous plants poisonous unsafe to be kept as house plants?

No species of the Pitcher plant is dangerous to human beings – or any other animal that is bigger than a small rodent, for that matter. Even if you were to put your finger inside and move it around, nothing would happen to you. If you handle the pitcher too roughly, though, you will damage the plant rather than yourself.

Since a pitcher plant takes three to five days to ingest a small insect, a human being would have to spend a long time simply holding their hand into a pitcher of a nepenthe to even feel a thing.

The tallest Nepenthes, which are those that are to be found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia and that can grow up to 5 feet tall, has never been known to ingest anything bigger than frogs or rats.

Do Nepenthes Make Good Houseplants?

Now, that you know pitcher plants are completely safe. It is time to consider growing them in your home.

There are a lot of reasons why Pitcher plants make excellent house plants. It is simply fascinating to observe such an unusual plant that not many people have in their homes. They exhibit fascinating insect trapping mechanisms and act as bug controllers.

When owning a Pitcher plant, you will be able to witness how insects, lured in by the sweet-smelling nectar fall into the pitcher. Then they are prohibited from crawling out again, by various elements contained on the inside wall of the pitcher, for example by thin hairs pointing inward and downward and thus locking the insect in the trap. Consequently, they are stuck at the bottom of the pitcher, surrounded by digestive fluid, where, in a couple of days, they get ingested and turn into a sticky, soup-like substance from which the nepenthes draws the nutrients it needs.

Bug control is one of the aspects that make pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants so attractive to many fans of house plants. They can, for example, digest gnats, spiders, flies, and other small insects.

When you put them at a place where insects have a tendency to enter the room, like on a window sill, or close to a door, it will most likely not be required for you to feed them.

If you have absolutely no insects in your apartment, it might be necessary to provide food for your nepenthes, though. In this case, you can try to find some insects yourself, but if those are difficult to come by, goldfish flakes from a pet store are also a good solution. You might also be enticed to share your lunch or dinner with your pitcher plant, but you need to resist this temptation! Do not feed them chunks of meat, or any human food, they will not be able to digest it.

The location of your plant should be warm and humid. Chose a bright place that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. They thrive best in temperatures between 60 and 85 F.

Pitcher plants grow best in soil that is poor in nutrients. A mixture of moss and perlite works well. Refrain from using potting mixes or fertilizers. It is important to always keep the soil wet during the growing season, which continues from May to October. Do not put water directly into the pitchers, though!

During winter, some pitcher plants like to go dormant, which is something like the hibernation we know from some animal species. This period of dormancy can take from three to five months. During this time the plant does not require light and is happy with a cooler and dryer climate. Any newly developing pitchers should be covered by a layer of mulch.

Once you have decided which species of pitcher plant you want, you need to look up their needs in winter, since not only the lengths of their dormancy vary, some of them do not go dormant and keep on growing instead, which results in them needing even more care than in the warmer months.

There are several species of nepenthes available for cultivation indoors that grow beautiful pitchers in colors ranging from light green to dark maroon that can be, depending on the species, location, and care, grow up to 20 or even 30 cm long. Along the big spectrum of pitcher plants, everyone is sure to find the right species for their home and possibilities.

Pitcher plants are unique carnivorous plants that characterize by pitcher like structures used to trap and consume insects. Inside the pitchers, there is a liquid, Pitcher plant water. Is Pitcher plant water safe?

Pitcher plant water is safe to drink as it poses no harm to humans. Pitcher plant water is made up of a mixture of rainwater and digestive substances produced by the plant. Some believe Pitcher plant water has medicinal properties; however, this has not been proven.

Before owning a Pitcher plant, I did tons of research to learn about their care and if they were safe to grow at home (this article I wrote expands on how safe are pitcher plants) (this article I wrote expands on how safe are pitcher plants). Keep on reading to get all the details on Pitcher plant water, including safety considerations for humans and pets.

Can You Drink Pitcher Plant Water?

Pitcher plant water is safe for human consumption. So, what happens when you drink the Pitcher plant water? One of the most frequently asked questions is if someone can drink the Pitcher plant water. Of course, yes!

Pitcher plant water has a neutral pH of 7.0, and after tasting, it tasted just like ordinary rainwater, and most likely, much of its water is rainwater.

Pitcher plants are harmless to humans and pets. Dogs and cats can be attracted to Pitcher plants due to their unique shapes and bright colors. A pet could eat a Pitcher plant without any dangerous health risk beyond a stomachache.

Some people say drinking pitcher plant water is likely to cause endless racy dreams. Taking Pitcher plant fluids through the mouth under the guidance of a doctor can be used as an alternative medicine for treating some unitary track complications, treatment of constipation, fluid retention problems, and digestion problems. However, there is no scientific proof of the Pitcher plant effectively treating the above conditions.

What Liquid Do Pitcher Plants Produce?

The small amount of liquid found within the Pitcher plant traps is known as phytotelmata, and it is usually for trapping insects.

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants meaning that they feed on animals (insects). The fluid inside their traps is extremely viscous to effectively drown insects whose bodies are slowly dissolved through bacteria activities.

Pitcher plants contain special jug-shaped leaves that produce pitcher fluids to attract, trap, and digest small insects. Unopened pitcher leaves contain water that harbors bacteria that help digest trapped insects.

These carnivorous plants, mainly of the genus Nepenthes, depend on nutrients gotten from ingesting small insects after trapping using the pitcher-shaped leaves and digesting them using the enzymatic fluids.

Pitcher plants exhibit a wide diversity of prey, but their trapping mechanism is the most astonishing thing about them. For instance, their pitches have a slippery inner surface, which is not only easy to wet but also waxy for helping trap the insect firmly. However, not all species manifest this epidermal specialization but still very effective in trapping insects.

The physical properties of this digestive fluid play a critical role in holding the insect in the trap. For instance, even after the dilution by rainwater, its trapping efficiency doesn’t change. However, in the heavy rainy season, some of this viscous liquid is washed or diluted by rainfall.

What Happens When You Touch Pitcher Plant Water?

Although Pitcher plants have the predatory abilities to trap and digest small animals and insects, none of these Pitcher plants is man-eating.

Since the Pitcher plant water contains no harmful chemicals that could otherwise cause harm to your fingers, touching has no negative impacts on your fingers, but this may cause damage to your plant when it tries to fold on a relatively large object.

Once the prey sits on the leaf’s surface, the stiff hard surrounding the leaf blade automatically interlock, thus trapping the prey into tubular enclosing containing the digestive enzymes and fluids. The leaves of pitcher plants secrete sticky fluid substances that coat the inner surface of the pitchers.

Although your finder won’t fall prey to Pitcher plants, especially of the family Nepenthes, the only concern is the sickening substance that some plant members induce to foreign objects as a defense mechanism.

Can Drinking Pitcher Plant Water Save You in an Emergency?

Although the water from a pitcher plant is typically the ordinary water we drink, some Borneo and Sumatra legends say that drinking water from the pitcher plant has the ability to heal some illnesses. However, this isn’t scientifically proven, and therefore is important you get a go-ahead signal from your doctor to drink this water.

Since Pitcher plant fluid is just like the normal rainwater, it can save a life of an extremely thirst person, say in a remote area/ heavy jungle where someone can’t find clean water to drink.

An extremely dehydrated person, say in the jungle, and has no other feasible source of clean water will opt to drink the Pitcher water rather than perish from thirst. However, this should be only on extremely exceptional cases; otherwise, no need to risk your life so much experimenting with funny theories.

Gardening Tips for Growing Pitcher Plant at Home

Since Pitcher plants are safe to own, you might want to consider owning one. This section includes some beginner advice for choosing and caring for Pitcher plants.

Under the scientific study of Pitcher plants such as their structure, classification, how they grow, and their significance in the ecosystem, Pitcher plants are categorized as carnivorous plants. Native Pitcher plants members fall under the Nepenthaceae family of the order Caryophyllales while the Recent Pitcher plant members under the family Sarraceniaceae of order Ericales.

Although Pitcher plants’ appearance resembles that of exotic plants, you can grow several plant varieties in your compound. The plants have leaves resembling tubes that contain fluids for trapping small animals and insects.

Today, people grow pitcher plants indoors or outdoors. Some of the common pitcher plant genus are the Nepenthes, Sarracenia, and Darlingtonia.

Growing pitcher plants is easy, but you must ensure to follow all the key items. Start by researching the type of species suitable for your region or that can easily adapt to the local climate. It would be best if you kept your pitcher plant wet otherwise, you can grow it in a water garden. Note that moist and boggy soils can improve its performance. Besides, these plants perform well in full sun to partial shade light, and their optimum temperature ranges from 65 to 70 F.

Remember, it is important to mist their environment regularly and keep your plant near a humidifier; it may stop producing pitchers when the humidity drops past 40 percent and feed your indoor plant, especially at the start of your growing season.

If you are interested in growing Pitcher plants or other carnivorous plants, start by researching their care. Carnivorous plants have precise requirements. Implementing them is not difficult but critical. I wrote this article on carnivorous plant care to give you all the information you need to get started.

Carnivorous Plant Care Guide (From Beginners to Advanced)