Description & Care

Nepenthes peltata is a fascinating Philippine species found on Mount Hamiguitan on the island of Mindanao. It’s named for its peltate tendril insertion, meaning that unlike most species, the tendril holding the pitcher joins the underside of the leaf instead of the leaf tip. In this regard it’s similar to Nepenthes rajah.

Other noteworthy characteristics include the thick indumentum of brown hairs which cover all parts of the plant, similar to N. mollis and N. veitchii. It’s a highly variable species, but many individuals exhibit highly squat pitchers with brightly striped peristomes. It’s also widely recognised among hobbyists for the bright red underside of its leaves, but this trait is not universal.

My fellow grower Francis Bauzon has written a detailed article on N. peltata, which I published on my blog back in 2019. That was before I started producing these shorter profiles of plants in my collection. Rather than repeating lots of what Francis wrote, I’ll instead direct you towards his brilliant article on Nepenthes peltata.

Since Francis wrote that article, there have been two main developments worth mentioning. First, Borneo Exotics replaced its single clone release (BE-3464) with a new release containing many different clones (BE-4025). Second, the hybrid N. peltata × villosa was produced in Japan and became highly sought-after in the hobby. These two species are very complementary of one another, with their squat pitchers and notable indumentum.

I have one N. peltata in my collection, which is from seed. It is an easy grower in my highland greenhouse, and continues to grow happily during summer. Given its low price, if you can provide highland or intermediate conditions for your plants, I’d highly recommend adding N. peltata your collection.