How to Remove Dead Leaves From Nepenthes

Nepenthes, which is among the most varied and dramatic-looking carnivorous plants, looks best with its dead leaves and traps pruned. Foliage tends to die back on the lower part of the plant, and the dead plant material and bare stems leave gaps in the plant growth. Removing the dead leaves and sparse stems encourages new shoots. The plant has pit traps formed from leaf tissue into nectar-scented cups to attract live creatures. In the wild, a large Nepenthes obtains nutrients from frogs, rodents and insects.

Clippers or sharp knife

Instructions

- 1
  Cut off a dead leaf at its base, next to the stem. Use clippers or a sharp knife and take care not to nick living areas of the plant.
- 2
  Prune a Nepenthes stem at its base when the stem has dead leaves or bare areas. Feel along the stem to where it ends in the pot if it is a large plant or it has crowded stems. Insert the clippers around the stem as close as possible to the plant without cutting other stems, or use a knife to sever the stem. Cut the stem 1 to 2 inches from the growing medium.
- 3
  Remove dead material regularly and new shoots will help to fill out the plant. Pruning gives your Nepenthes a healthy and lush appearance, free of bare areas.
- 4
  Cut dead traps off a Nepenthes by clipping them right next to the stem. This keeps the plant from having stumps on the stem. Use sharp clippers.
- 5
  Prune a mature Nepenthes 30 percent in the spring to encourage new growth. Cut all of its stems back by almost one-third of their length. Support remaining stems on a wire trellis or allow them to hang over the pot.

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