How to Propagate Pitcher Plants
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants that have a pitcher-shaped trap that allows them to lure in insects. Once the insect is trapped within in the pitcher, the plant is free to devour the insect at its leisure. Pitcher plants grow in boggy areas where disruption is common, making them hardy and easy to propagate. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Sharp garden shears
- Fungicide
- Rooting powder
- Plastic pot
- Sphagnum moss
- Clear plastic bag
- Fluorescent lights
Instructions
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1
Take a cutting from the main pitcher plant that has at least two to three leaves on it, using sharp gardening shears. Cut the stem at a 45-degree angle. Leave at least four to five leaves on the plant's base.
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2
Mix a small amount of fungicide with water. Follow the package instructions for exact measurements.
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3
Rinse the cut area of the cutting with the diluted fungicide. This prevents infection.
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4
Cut each leaf on the cutting in half horizontally, across the middle.
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5
Dip the cut end of the pitcher plant cutting very lightly into rooting powder.
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6
Fill a plastic pot with sphagnum moss. Water the sphagnum moss until it is damp.
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Push a hole that is about 1 inch deep into the sphagnum moss using a pencil.
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Place the cutting in the hole and press the moss around the base of the plant; the cutting should stand upright.
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9
Water the pitcher plant thoroughly.
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10
Place a clear plastic bag over the plant to conserve moisture.
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11
Place the pot under fluorescent light for 18 hours per day for the next one to two months. When the plant starts to put out new leaves, it has the roots it needs to be replanted safely in a carnivorous plant mixture.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
