Bloody Mary Pitcher Plant

Bloody Mary Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes 'Bloody Mary') is a carnivorous hybrid with fat, rounded pitchers that deepen to dark red-maroon as they mature. It stays compact at about 10cm to 20cm tall, with an arching rosette of glossy leaves that shift from copper-brown to lime as the plant grows. It suits a warm, humid bathroom or a shaded tropical garden.

Why you'll love it

• Deep red pitchers. The rounded traps colour up to a rich red-maroon, a vivid contrast with the lime green leaves.
• Foliage that changes. New leaves open copper-brown and turn lime as the plant grows, so the plant keeps changing.
• Made for the bathroom. Warm, steamy air suits it, and it is small enough to sit on a shelf or windowsill.
• A rainforest hybrid. It is a cross of Nepenthes ventricosa and Nepenthes ampullaria, both east Asian rainforest plants.
• Little feeding. A mature plant needs only a diluted orchid feed once a year.

Where it works best

Bathrooms and humid rooms. A bathroom with a bright window is ideal, since the warmth and humidity do half the work for you.

Shaded tropical gardens. In tropical zones it can live outdoors, sheltered from harsh sunlight, where the humidity keeps the pitchers fat.

Hanging pots and shelves. Its pitchers hang well from the leaf tips, so a shelf edge or a hanging pot shows them off.

Growing Bloody Mary Pitcher Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Warmth and humidity keep it happy, ideally between 18C and 28C and never below 10C at night. Shade it from harsh sunlight. Outdoors all year, that points to tropical gardens. Everywhere else, keep it indoors in bright light.

Soil. Use an orchid style mix of bark chunks, sphagnum moss or coir. The open texture lets air reach the roots and sheds water quickly, which is what an epiphyte wants.

Water and feed. Mist the plant frequently and water often, using rainwater or filtered water so the mix stays moist but never soggy. Once a year, a mature plant might need a pick-me-up of diluted orchid feed.

Pruning. Nothing to do but tidy. Cut away pitchers and leaves with clean scissors once they have gone brown.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Bloody Mary Pitcher Plant as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives small, so pot it into orchid mix soon after delivery and keep it in a warm, humid spot out of strong sun. The red pitchers colour as the plant matures.

Our grower supplies the tube stock and is not always able to. If the tube reads as sold out, press the notify button on this page and we will email you the day it returns.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Exotic and rare plants to collect
• Indoor plant tips for beginners
• House and indoor plants
• Plants that suit pots

Common questions

Why does the water matter?

Pitcher plants dislike minerals. Rainwater or filtered water keeps the mix moist without leaving salts behind.

Will it grow in a bathroom?

Yes, provided there is bright light. The humidity and warmth from a shower suit it, and nights must stay above 10C.

Why are the leaves changing colour?

The leaves open copper-brown and turn lime as the plant grows. It is normal and a sign the plant is maturing.