Predator plants are still considered exotic by domestic flower growers. However, one of them gradually begins to win the hearts of lovers of everything unusual. This flower with the beautiful name "Nepentes" is unpretentious in care, but regularly requires live food - insects.
For some, this causes disgust and disgust, but in most cases, a randomly bought exotic flower will always live in the house. It looks beautiful and fits into any interior.
This flower is a true exotic
Not everyone knows what the Penteses are. You can recognize an amazing flower by the following description:
- Elongated elongated leaves with thin antennae at the ends;
- Stem height - up to 1 meter;
- Flowers with caps that look like small jugs;
- Thin stalk that hardens over time.
Nepentes feeds on small insects. Bright traps help him hunt small bugs and grasshoppers.
Plant origin
The amazing flower is considered one of the oldest plants on earth. It has long been found in the countries of Asia, Australia, and Madagascar. Nepentes loves a humid and warm climate. Scientists claim that this plant began to feed on insects due to the fact that it received less nutrients, growing on poor soils; during evolution, the inflorescences transformed into insect traps.
Interesting. The Russian name for the predator is “pitcher”, for the characteristic shape of the flowers. He received his official botanical name in honor of the mythical nepenf plant (the so-called oblivion grass in the myths of ancient Greece).
Description of the natural habitat
Some varieties of pitcher grow in swampy areas, some in the highlands. The flower is very fond of sunlight, so some species braid trees in the form of vines, trying to climb as high as possible.
Main varieties
There are several varieties of exotic flower. The most common are:
- Sanguine;
- Alata;
- Rajah;
- Bloody Mary.
Nepentes attracts the attention of insects with brightly colored pitchers
Features of keeping at home for all species are approximately the same: Nepentes loves heat, sunlight and plentiful watering.
Sanguine
If at home Nepentes Sanguinea grows, home care will not take long, this species is quite unpretentious. Sanguine Nepentes looks spectacular and lives at home for a long time. The leaves are oval and light green in color.
Ventrata
This is one of the most capricious types of Nepentes, in need of frequent fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. The adult plant has a thin grassy stem 60-70 cm high. The inflorescences are large, orange-red.
Attenborough
Nepentes Attenboroughii (Attenboroughii) - one of the most beautiful views. The volume of pitchers is 1.7 liters.
Nepentes Attenborough
It is known that this predator can digest small mice or rats. Inflorescences have a greenish tint with brownish dots.
Alata
Alata Nepentes is small and compact. At home, grows as a vine. The homeland of this species is the Philippines. It rarely blooms, but differs in the bright color of the traps.
Rajah
Nepentes Rajah (nepenthe rajah) - the largest species of predator. In natural conditions, he eats even lizards. Sometimes it is also called Indian Nepentes.
Nepentes Raja
Often affected by fungus, therefore, requires regular loosening of the soil. The traps are bright yellow, slightly elongated.
Bloody Mary
This species, like Ventrat's Nepentes, is rather demanding on the composition of the soil. Bloody Mary Nepentes got this name for bright burgundy traps. If it is not possible to feed the predator with insects, it will take nutrients from the soil, as befits a flower.
Non-Pentes Care Rules
Basic care measures will help prolong the life of the plant and improve its development. Nepentes Care:
- Regular watering followed by loosening;
- Fertilizing with complex fertilizers;
- Transplant as needed;
- Prevention of diseases and pests.
With proper care, the plant will delight for a long time with its beauty
Also, one should not forget about regular feeding of a predator with animal food. Nepentes home care is a constant concern for protein nutrition to maintain the vitality of the carnivorous plant.
Pests, diseases and possible problems
Nepentes pitcher often suffers from diseases and pests, so you need to take care of him very carefully. When aphids are affected, you can only collect pests manually, without the use of industrial insecticides. With fungus, spraying with fungicide solutions will help. If leaves or traps begin to dry, watering should be intensified.
Watering mode
Nepentes is a plant that is sensitive to moisture deficiency. All species of predatory plant nepentes need intensive watering, especially in the hot summers. The optimal frequency of watering in the warm season is twice a day, morning and evening. In winter, when the plant hibernates, watering once or twice a week is enough.
Watering should be frequent
Before pouring tap water into the pot, it must be kept in the bottle for 24 hours so that the aggressive chemicals contained in the tap water precipitate. The optimum fluid temperature is room temperature.
Transfer
Propagation and transplantation of Nepentes are important aspects of flower care. Transplants are performed infrequently, because this procedure is a lot of stress for the flower. The roots affected by the fungus are carefully trimmed.
Important! Within a month after transplantation, any feeding with mineral fertilizers and feeding of animal food are prohibited. The recommended method of reproduction is using root layers.
Soil and proper fertilizer
The insectivorous pitcher plant needs regular feeding. For a Nepentes flower, it is better to choose slightly acidic or neutral soil. The optimal frequency of feeding in the warm season is once every three weeks. Any complex fertilizer for orchids is perfect, since Nepentes is a distant "relative" of this flower.
Additionally, bone meal or crushed eggshells can be added to the soil to make up for calcium deficiency. Good results are obtained using drugs rich in copper and iron.
Insect feeding
The real predator of the plant kingdom is Nepentes. That is what it differs from all other indoor flowers. The diet of a bloodthirsty flower is quite diverse. It is most convenient to feed the predator with the following types of insects:
- Flies;
- Grasshoppers;
- Locust;
- Mosquitoes;
- Spiders.
A flower catches insects like a predatory spider
If you can’t find anything “edible” at home, you can go to any fishing store and buy small maggot worms. They are rich in protein and attractive to non-Pentes. To feed the flower, you need to carefully lower the insect into its trap. This must be done at least once a month.
Some amateur gardeners who are new to biology trap pieces of raw meat and fish. In no case should this be done. The plant will digest this food, but can be seriously affected by an overabundance of nutrients.
Such feeding is a great stress for the non-Pentes, as he has to spend all his energy on digesting heavy, unusual food.
Interesting. Scientists have found that the liquid inside the insect trap resembles human gastric juice in composition and level of acidity. Once in an acidic environment, insects quickly decompose and digest. Additionally, the flower feeds on the minerals found in the soil.
In order for Nepentes to develop well, he regularly needs live food. If there is no way to allocate free time for feeding a predator, it is better to plant another plant at home. Without protein food, the flower will quickly wither away from a lack of nutrients. On the contrary, regular care and feeding will help to grow a real handsome man on the windowsill.
