Nepenthes alata aka Pitcher Plant

Nepenthes alata is an evergreen carnivorous plant in the Nepenthaceae family. It comes from Luzon in the Philippines, in wet tropical conditions. Kew lists its growth form as a climbing shrub. In cultivation, its leaves and pitchers give it a weeping outline. The RHS recommends it as a houseplant for indoor hanging baskets. It also lists the plant for subtropical settings.

The RHS gives a cultivated height of up to 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. Its listed spread reaches the same size. Plants take two to five years to reach maturity. The leaves are long and shaped like straps. Each leaf has a midrib that extends into a tendril. A hollow pitcher may hang from the tendril's end. Two raised wings run down the front of each pitcher. These wings give the plant its winged pitcher plant name.

The pitchers are slim above a swollen lower third. Each has a thick rim and a lid at the top. Lower pitchers measure about 0.6 feet [0.18 metres] long. Upper pitchers reach about 0.75 feet [0.23 metres]. Their colours can differ even on one plant. They include yellow-green, red, orange and purple, with some speckled forms. The small male and female flowers have no petals. Green or brown sepals surround them in spike-like racemes. Chicago Botanic Garden lists bloom periods across the whole year.

For indoor growth, the RHS calls for bright, filtered light. Chicago Botanic Garden lists full sun or partial shade. The RHS specifies high humidity and an acidic, low-nutrient specialist mix. Keep the mix moist while allowing water to drain well. Its general soil listing names loam. A sheltered position suits the plant. The RHS rates it H1A, requiring glasshouse warmth above 15°C throughout the year. Chicago Botanic Garden places it in USDA zone 11.

Hanging baskets show the drooping leaves and pitchers without hiding them. The plant keeps its foliage through the year. Remove old pitchers once they are spent. The RHS lists February stem cuttings and seed sowing for propagation. It reports few disease problems, though mealybugs and aphids may attack. The supplied sources give no species-level guidance on edibility or toxicity.