Pitcher Plant-Nepenthes gracilis

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Mike

the green trumpet shaped trap of a carnivorous pitcher plant

The Pitcher Plant(nepenthes gracilis) is found throughout many tropical areas of the world. Here in Thailand I have not actually seen them growing wild although since the favoured habitat is rain forest they may well be restricted in their distribution. This is a photograph of a plant I have in my garden in Thailand.

The Pitcher plant is carnivorous, a meat eater, that gets some of its required nutrients by trapping and digesting small insects. In order to do this the pitcher, which is an extension of the leaf, contains a small amount of fluid that is used in the digestion process. The lid at the top of the plant can close and stop water entering the pitcher and diluting the digestive juices.

The plants are notoriously difficult to cultivate since it is hard to reproduce the natural habitat in which they live.

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D 55mm Lens

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  • Ratty

    I have always liked carnivorous plants. They used to have ads in the back of comic books for them when I was a kid. My grandpa had some for a short time, and I used to sit and examine them. His was a Venus Flytrap though.

  • The TEFL Don

    Ratty me too. I have seen the venue fly trap which have a bit more "action" than the pitcher!

  • rainfield61

    The green colour looks transparent.

  • roentarre

    I love the picture of pitcher plant and it is such a unique plant to look at

  • The TEFL Don

    Rainfield you can almost see through the pitcher.

    roentarre I agree, the climate here is not ideal (as a garden plant) but I have managed to keep it growing.

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