The heliamphora or the sun pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant that traps insects with special cups. The cups have a small lid with an odor that attracts insects. Because the cups are smooth and because moisture remains in the cup, insects can no longer escape. The sun pitcher plant is mainly found in Brazil and Venezuela. Of the carnivorous plants, this is a fairly rare species and so the plant will not be found in a garden center just like that. Special growers are more likely to find a heliamphora. The care of the plant is quite simple.
Watering the heliamphora
Water the sun pitcher plant sufficiently and make sure that the plant never ends up in dry soil. It is best to water the plant from above on the soil. Allow excess water to drain from the pot through a hole in the bottom. The heliamphora cannot cope with it if the roots are constantly in a layer of water. The plant will then start to mold or rot. The plant only produces cups when the humidity is very high. So occasionally use the plant sprayer to mist water over the plant. Another option is to grow the plant in a greenhouse or to use a water evaporator. Only rainwater or demineralized water may be used for both watering and misting. Tap water contains an enormous amount of lime and minerals and the sun pitcher plant cannot cope with that very well. Do not fill the cups with water, as the plant takes care of this all by itself.
Place of carnivorous sun pitcher plant
The heliamphora can withstand light frost, but it is best to grow the plant indoors. When the temperature is stable, the plant will grow best. Choose a place with a lot of sun and preferably direct sunlight. The plant can hardly stand light enough. Choose a location near a south-facing window, but do not place the plant on a windowsill over a radiator. There the air is even drier than in the rest of the house. A special lamp can also be used to provide sufficient light. If the plant is in a greenhouse or in a glass mini terrarium, it is advisable not to place the plant in full sun. The temperature will then become too high and the sun pitcher plant will rot or die. Use a large pot for the heliamphora so that you do not have to repot the plant throughout its life. The vulnerable carnivorous plants hate to be moved and get used to a new environment, so it is better to avoid repotting. Provide airy soil with no added fertilizers or nutrients. The sun pitcher plant gets its nutrition from trapped insects and not from the soil. The soil can be made lighter with some perlite. Sphagnum moss can also be used to lighten the soil.
Conduct the heliamphora
The roots of the sun pitcher plant only absorb water and therefore do not draw nutrients from the soil. The plant needs insects for nutrition. Outdoors, the plant will attract and catch insects itself, but that won’t happen indoors. One solution is to feed the plant yourself about once a month. Use small insects such as fruit flies or mosquitoes. Large insects such as spiders and woodlice will rot in the cups because the plant cannot digest them. The plant only produces enzymes for digestion when the cups are moved. So only feed with live insects. Drop these insects into the cup with tweezers, trying to touch as little of the plant as possible. In the winter months, the heliamphora needs less food and therefore does not need to be fed as much.