Question
my plant
I live in zone 7 of the US. I a Nepenthes copelandii, Intermediate and it won't grow any cups. What am I doing wrong It was a beautiful plant when I bought it last summer and it had cups then. The cups slowly died off and now I have sad plant. Please help me nurse it back.
AnswerHello Connie,
By the picture, it looks like the plant is simply not receiving enough light. Even though they are partial sun plants, Nepenthes need far more light than an Ivy to produce pitchers, produce nectar to attract insects, produce fluid in the pitchers, and then to kill and digest the insects it attracts. I experimented with growing a N. sanguinea in a South facing window with a single compact florescent bulb about 8 inches from the leaves as additional light and, due to the size of the plant, still had unsatisfactory results. I now have my Nepenthes directly under three banks of 40 watt florescent shop lights that together produce 18000 lumens about 4-6 inches from the leaves. The plants also are near another set of lights for some other plants. Needless to say, they are developing very bright colors and nice pitchers. Light is the key. If the plant slowly loses pitchers (despite being adapted to lower humidity) and becomes less colorful, it is not getting enough light.
The hanging basket might be too high and the window might not be allowing enough light in.
Too much sun may burn the leaves, but too little will slowly starve the plant.
Christopher
