Nepenthes 'Miranda'

On a recent trip to Southern Homes in Wetumpka, I was pleased to see several pots of Nepenthes 'Miranda". I have several different Nepenthes, but unfortunately they are not nearly as well-grown as these. I really like these plants because they are so exotic and different. They were also not cheap, about $30/pot. But knowing a bit about what it takes to grow them and how scarce they are on the market, that does not seem unreasonable to me.
I grow them in the greenhouse and try to water everyday in summer and fairly frequently in winter. The plants must not be allowed to dry out or it will usually prove fatal. after all, they are native to very jungley moist and humid areas. they are sometimes called Monkey Cups as monkeys have been observed drinking from the urns. All I can say is they must have very strong stomachs. occasionally in the greenhouse I brush against one and the liquid that fills the cups spills on me. Pu eeee! Time for a clean shirt. The cups or urns catch rain water as well as exude compounds into the water that are helpful in holding and digesting hapless insects, lizards, etc that become trapped. I want to try my smallest newest one in a terrarium as they are recommenced for smaller plants. Over time the plants can become quite large.

Tropical Pitcher plants

 

 

 

These are the 3 kinds of tropical pitcher plants that I grow. I can name them no further than to say that they are all Nepenthes. Sometimes you can find something exciting in the Mean Place (Wally World) and that is where all 3 of mine came from. There are 3 things that you should know about growing tropical pitcher plants. They are:
1)water
2)water
3)water
Do not let them get dry or the cute little pitchers will be the first to turn brown, followed quickly by the whole plant. Do NOT fertilize. When watering, water not only the root mass (which is quite small and fragile), but also water the pitchers. They should always have a fair amount of water in them. Do not let any of this water get on you however, because it stinks to high heaven. I guess a watery mess of rotting insects could not smell sweet. These plants can trap plenty of insects in the greenhouse, and need no assistance in getting prey. This is the reason they do not require fertilizer. They digest insects and get what they need from the insect bodies. They are not fail proof on catching insects though. I have seen holes chewed through the pitcher walls where something escaped, probably a bumblebee from the size of the hole. These Nepenthes are not for the casual gardener, and certainly are not house plants. However they are beautiful in a sort of erotic way. If you like them, you should visit the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. They have a huge collection in the conservatory. And of course you won't want to miss the orchids there either.