Carnivorous Nepenthes 'Bloody Mary'

The newest Nepenthes we are happy to share with you! This limited batch is just starting to produce pitchers. Keep in a warm and bright spot with some humidity, appreciates a bit of morning sun - avoid mid day direct sunlight. Ensure the medium never dries out completely, maintain consistent moisture but be sure it has proper drainage and does not remain soggy- do not allow your Nepenthes to sit in water. Use rainwater, distilled water or reverse osmosis water. Be careful with bottled water as these may contain salt which will kill your pitcher plant. Something that can be found on a variety of plants is extrafloral nectaries or EFNs. These glands produce a nectar that over time, will oxidize and dry, leaving behind a hard, dark-colored spot of concentrated sugar. This sugar can attract insects to the plant, but that is what the plant wants. For most plants it attracts insects like ants to protect them from herbivores, but for carnivorous plants, it can also attract insects that the plant will eat. Sometimes, because of the high levels of humidity, saprophytic fungi or mold, will grow on the sugar residue. This forms a harmless "sooty mold" that looks like black, fuzzy spots around the nectar glands. The black spots are, in most cases, a sign of a healthy, active plant producing nectar for either predator or defense purposes, rather than a sign of disease.