Feast Your Eyes, as They Feast on Flies: The Mesmerizing Nepenthes Plant

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Carnivorous plants sit quietly, creepily waiting to trap and slowly digest unsuspecting insects. One of the best-known is a fun plant called Monkey Cups, or Asian Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes) that can be grown in a hanging pot as a houseplant.

Most species of Monkey Cups are tropical vines that climb up trees, but some species stay on the ground.

What Do They Look Like?

Monkey Cups have strap-like, ordinary-looking leaves, but unlike other plants, they have a strong midvein extending beyond their leaves for several inches. The ends of the midveins develop into upright pitchers to trap insect prey with umbrella-like lids to protect the insides of the pitchers from rain.

Why Do They Trap Insects?

Carnivorous plants need  the right light, water,  and temperatures, just like  other plants, to make their food by photosynthesis. But they also  need an extra boost of nutrition from an outside source so they can survive in boggy, poor soil.

Care of Your Monkey Cups Plant

- Light - Temperature & Humidity - Soil - Pot - Water - Nourishing

Concerns

Even though Monkey Cups are not difficult plants to grow, less-than-ideal conditions can cause problems, like pitchers turning brown and falling off or the plant refusing to grow pitchers.

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