About Heliamphora Nutans

Origins

• Sun pitchers grow naturally only in isolated habitats in north-central South America, in the highlands where the borders of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana meet. This region is commonly called the Guiana Highlands or Gran Sabana. Numerous flat-topped mountains called tepuis exist across the region, many unnamed and little explored. Numerous new species of sun pitchers only came into botanical knowledge since roughly the late 1990s. Species Heliamphora nutans is found in the eastern ranges of the region, in both fragmented pockets across the tepuis and surrounding valley slopes and lowlands.

Growing Conditions

• Although Heliamphora nutans grows very close to the equator, its natural habitat is at higher elevations so temperatures are not as hot as anticipated. This sun pitcher grows in intense sun rays that bask it nearly all day. It grows year-round without any dormancy as frosts do not occur and both soil moisture and ambient humidity remain constantly high. These carnivorous plants grow in well-drained, low-nutrient, acidic, gritty to sandy soil with decaying organic matter. In summer, temperatures are warm to hot with cool, humid evenings, and in winter the temperatures are cool to warm with comfortably cool nights, always well above freezing.

Growth Characteristics

• Sun pitchers grow slowly into a perennial evergreen clump. A mature plant may be 1 to 5 inches tall and 3 to 5 inches wide. Numerous small, more horizontally oriented leaves create a basal rosette, with occasional larger, upright leaves that look like pitchers or the silhouette of a calla lily arising. Rather than having a large lid atop the pitcher leaves, they have a tiny nub called a nectar roll or spoon. A tall flower stem towers well above the plant with a few sparsely spaced, four-petaled, downward-facing blossoms. Insects pollinate the blooms that later form small seeds.

Cultural Insight

• Proper temperature, soil, light and humidity conditions improve the chances of successfully growing sun pitcher. Use a soil mixture of 50 percent sand, perlite or gravel grit with 50 percent long-stranded or particle sphagnum peat, much like that used in growing other carnivorous plants such as sarracenia, pinguicula or nepenthes. Provide them consistent, 12-hour days of very bright diffused light or direct sun. Ambient humidity must remain above 50 percent and the soil evenly and constantly moist. However, do not make the soil soggy as if flooded. Heliamphora nutans may be grown from seed or propagated by carefully splitting plant clumps. Use care as the leaves are small and delicate, easily breaking or crushing during handling.