Patiently Waiting for Lunch...

Three or four years ago I bought a small Tropical Pitcher Plant, Nepenthes, at a local plant sale. I had low expectations for its survival as I had lost killed several carnivorous plants over the years. But this new one took off! All I did was to hang it in a tree and water it occasionally, it grew to three time its original size! Happily surprised I was!  Last year I propagated a new plant from cuttings and now both are doing well.The pitchers growing from the ends of leaves in the photo are on the new plant. 
Pitcher Plants often grow in nutrient poor soils so they had to adapt to survive. They evolved the ability to digest meat. These 'pitchers' are about one third filled with a digestive fluid that is as sweet as honey and apparently irresistible to insects. Focused on the sweetness at the bottom of the pitcher, the insect climbs down to the liquid then discovers that it isn't able to scale the waxy, slippery inside walls and it becomes a meal. 
There are over 100 species of Tropical Pitcher Plants. Most are found in Southeast Asia, India and northern Australia. We have quite a few native Pitcher Plants (genus Sarracenia) here in Florida. They mostly grow in wet habitats such as bogs and marshes. Happy Weekend to All!  m