I started out with a single Venus fly trap a few years ago; it died, and I tried another, which also died. However, my third try has been a success, and now I have a little carnivorous plant collection going on. These plants are not easy to grow; I've had more trouble with them than orchids, but with a little research and extra effort, the results are very exciting. I've found that a terrarium is an imperative investment. A standard 10 to 20-gallon aquarium works really well for a small collection. The terrarium creates a microclimate that the plants can grow in. In this microclimate, humidity is high, between 70 and 100%, and temperatures aere warm. I place it in near-direct sun outside during the summer. Of course, the carnivores I grow in it (Dionaea, VFT; and Sarracenia, American pitcher plant), are temperate plants and require a cold winter dormancy, so they must be taken out of the terrarium and placed in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator from November to March. They are then replaced in the terrarium. The terrarium is kept inside when frosts are frequent outside.
And now, to the point of this post. The beautiful plant pictured above is Nepenthes copelandii, or tropical pitcher plant, or monkey cups. It is just one out of I believe around 40 or 50 species of carnivorous plants native to southeast Asia. These are vines that grow in dense rainforest, climbing up trees. They can climb to a great length over time. The leaves form long tendrils that end in pitcher-like adaptations which can boast brilliant color patterns and produce a sweet scent. Both of these features attract insects, which will land on the opening/rim of the pitcher and, in trying to discover the source of the scent, will slip on the glossy surface and fall into the pitcher. There they will land in a pool of putrid liquid and will find escape is impossible due to downward-pointing hairs on the walls of the pitcher. After trying hopelessly to escape, the insect will eventually tire and drown. The pitcher will then secrete enzymes which will digest the insect, and over time the walls of the pitcher will absorb the nutrients in the liquid. This is how the plant receives its nourishment, as it grows where nutrients do not exist in the rooting medium. Many of these plants do not even have roots, as they absorb nutrients through the pitchers and moisture from the air through the leaves. Nepenthes also produce sprays of small flowers.
Nepenthes are fantasic plants which are unusual, attractive, and help eliminate pest problems. They are tropical, and so don't require a winter dormancy period. However, they require high humidity, and are too large to grow in terraria (unless you have a massive aquarium), and so can be accommodated only in a glass case (such as an orchidarium) or in a greenhouse. I use the former.
Nepenthes copelandii is one of two Nepenthes species I own; the other is N. alata.
