Tom's Carnivores

Nepenthes
The Interactive Guide

Tom Bennet
By Tom Bennet
Last updated
I've been growing a wide variety of carnivorous plants for over 2 decades. I got my first Venus flytrap at age 10 and now have an entire greenhouse full of carnivores.

As with all plants, the key to successfully growing Nepenthes in cultivation is the ability to replicate the conditions of their natural habitat.

Most of the 170+ Nepenthes species are found in Southeast Asia - particularly Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines - and the genus ranges from highland montane plants to those inhabiting steamy lowland jungles. But their cross-fertile nature has resulted in countless unique hybrids, both in cultivation and in the wild.

This guide aims to help growers of Nepenthes estimate the requirements of specific plants. It comprises two tools: (1) a calculator which visualises the temperatures likely preferred by a given species or hybrid, and (2) an interactive list of every Nepenthes species, which can be sorted and filtered according to altitude and locale.

Happy growing!


1. The Nepenthes Calculator

Enter species (e.g. rajah):

N. x N.

Heads up! You're using an old browser, and the Nepenthes Interactive Guide may not function properly - please update your browser.

Elevation (m)Avg Day Temperature (°C)Avg Night Temperature (°C)
350016 - 224 - 12
300017 - 237 - 14
250018 - 249 - 15
200020 - 2611 - 17
150022 - 2813 - 19
100024 - 3015 - 21
50026 - 3217 - 23
029 - 3520 - 26

California Carnivores discount code

Visit www.californiacarnivores.com and get 10% off by using code tomscarnivores.


Sphagnum Shop discount code

Visit sphagnum.co.uk and get 10% off by using code TOMS10%.


2. Nepenthes Species List


Spotted a mistake or omission? Click here to suggest a correction.

NameLow (m)High (m)Region
Nepenthes lamii27003520New Guinea
Nepenthes diatas24002900Sumatra
Nepenthes angasanensis22002800Sumatra
Nepenthes densiflora17003200Sumatra
Nepenthes singalana20002900Sumatra
Nepenthes macrophylla22002642Borneo
Nepenthes villosa16003240Borneo
Nepenthes putaiguneung22702370Sumatra
Nepenthes lavicola20002600Sumatra
Nepenthes diabolica22002300Sulawesi
Nepenthes murudensis20002423Borneo
Nepenthes aristolochioides18002500Sumatra
Nepenthes dubia16002700Sumatra
Nepenthes edwardsiana16002700Borneo
Nepenthes talangensis18002500Sumatra
Nepenthes lowii16502600Borneo
Nepenthes maryae20502150Sulawesi
Nepenthes nigra15002700Sulawesi
Nepenthes rajah15002650Borneo
Nepenthes inermis15002600Sumatra
Nepenthes muluensis17002400Borneo
Nepenthes monticola14002620New Guinea
Nepenthes flava18002200Sumatra
Nepenthes spathulata11002900Java, Sumatra
Nepenthes hamata14002500Sulawesi
Nepenthes jacquelineae17002200Sumatra
Nepenthes jamban18002100Sumatra
Nepenthes kitanglad18002100Philippines
Nepenthes mikei11002800Sumatra
Nepenthes sumagaya16002247Philippines
Nepenthes lingulata17002100Sumatra
Nepenthes ovata17002100Sumatra
Nepenthes alba16002187Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis17002085Philippines
Nepenthes bongso10002700Sumatra
Nepenthes glabrata16002100Sulawesi
Nepenthes pectinata9502750Sumatra
Nepenthes xiphioides18001900Sumatra
Nepenthes mollis13002400Borneo
Nepenthes alzapan17501850Philippines
Nepenthes izumiae17001900Sumatra
Nepenthes rhombicaulis16002000Sumatra
Nepenthes robcantleyi17501850Philippines
Nepenthes spectabilis14002200Sumatra
Nepenthes undulatifolia17501850Sulawesi
Nepenthes fractiflexa14002150Borneo
Nepenthes copelandii11002400Philippines
Nepenthes naga15002000Sumatra
Nepenthes berbulu14002100Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes barcelonae15001905Philippines
Nepenthes gracillima14002000Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes gymnamphora6002800Java, Sumatra
Nepenthes stenophylla8002600Borneo
Nepenthes gantungensis16001784Philippines
Nepenthes ceciliae15001880Philippines
Nepenthes zygon15001875Philippines
Nepenthes petiolata14501900Philippines
Nepenthes argentii14001900Philippines
Nepenthes ephippiata13002000Borneo
Nepenthes zakriana8002500Borneo
Nepenthes pilosa15501650Borneo
Nepenthes pitopangii14001800Sulawesi
Nepenthes nebularum14001800Philippines
Nepenthes attenboroughii14501726Philippines
Nepenthes macfarlanei15001657Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes mira15501605Philippines
Nepenthes appendiculata14501700Borneo
Nepenthes burkei11002000Philippines
Nepenthes pulchra13001800Philippines
Nepenthes sericea9002150Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes boschiana12001800Borneo
Nepenthes burbidgeae12001800Borneo
Nepenthes eymae10002000Sulawesi
Nepenthes ventricosa10002000Philippines
Nepenthes fusca14001600Borneo
Nepenthes tentaculata4002550Borneo, Sulawesi
Nepenthes adrianii9502000Java
Nepenthes klossii9302000New Guinea
Nepenthes tboli14131513Philippines
Nepenthes paniculata14101510New Guinea
Nepenthes chaniana11001800Borneo
Nepenthes ramispina9002000Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes taminii9001950Sumatra
Nepenthes glandulifera11001700Borneo
Nepenthes hamiguitanensis12001600Philippines
Nepenthes leonardoi13001490Philippines
Nepenthes pantaronensis13401440Philippines
Nepenthes sibuyanensis12501500Philippines
Nepenthes micramphora11001635Philippines
Nepenthes ulukaliana9001800Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes minima10001700Sulawesi
Nepenthes maxima402600Maluku Islands, New Guinea, Sulawesi
Nepenthes justinae10001620Philippines
Nepenthes rigidifolia10001600Sumatra
Nepenthes negros12501350Philippines
Nepenthes peltata8651635Philippines
Nepenthes vogelii10001500Borneo
Nepenthes deaniana11801296Philippines
Nepenthes junghuhnii11701270Sumatra
Nepenthes aenigma11501250Philippines
Nepenthes pudica11001300Borneo
Nepenthes longiptera7501600Sumatra
Nepenthes palawanensis11001236Philippines
Nepenthes platychila9001400Borneo
Nepenthes alata5501650Philippines
Nepenthes dactylifera3001900Borneo
Nepenthes reinwardtiana02200Borneo, Sumatra
Nepenthes tenuis10001200Sumatra
Nepenthes tobaica3801800Sumatra
Nepenthes ampullaria02100Borneo, Maluku Islands, New Guinea, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Thailand
Nepenthes sanguinea3001800Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand
Nepenthes latiffiana10001100Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes ramos6701400Philippines
Nepenthes cabanae10001050Philippines
Nepenthes cornuta9501050Philippines
Nepenthes epiphytica9501050Borneo
Nepenthes faizaliana4001600Borneo
Nepenthes khasiana5001500India
Nepenthes surigaoensis8001200Philippines
Nepenthes talaandig9501050Philippines
Nepenthes harauensis7001300Sumatra
Nepenthes malimumuensis9701020Philippines
Nepenthes manobo9701020Philippines
Nepenthes bokorensis8001080Cambodia
Nepenthes domei8501000Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes adnata6001200Sumatra
Nepenthes leyte850950Philippines
Nepenthes malayensis8001000Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes erucoides800929Philippines
Nepenthes eustachya01600Sumatra
Nepenthes veitchii01600Borneo
Nepenthes cid720820Philippines
Nepenthes saranganiensis700800Philippines
Nepenthes benstonei1501350Peninsular Malaysia
Nepenthes macrovulgaris3001200Borneo
Nepenthes mapuluensis700800Borneo
Nepenthes mirabilis01500Australia, Borneo, Cambodia, Java, Laos, Maluku Islands, New Guinea, Peninsular Malaysia, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Thailand, Vietnam & more
Nepenthes smilesii01500Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Nepenthes truncata01500Philippines
Nepenthes bracteosa710760Thailand
Nepenthes weda4151014Maluku Islands
Nepenthes clipeata600800Borneo
Nepenthes holdenii600800Cambodia
Nepenthes longifolia3001100Sumatra
Nepenthes mindanaoensis01400Philippines
Nepenthes neoguineensis01400New Guinea
Nepenthes armin500850Philippines
Nepenthes abgracilis620720Philippines
Nepenthes hirsuta2001100Borneo
Nepenthes krabiensis600700Thailand
Nepenthes papuana01300New Guinea
Nepenthes graciliflora01280Philippines
Nepenthes rafflesiana01200Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra
Nepenthes halmahera01200Maluku Islands
Nepenthes albomarginata01100Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra
Nepenthes gracilis01100Borneo, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Thailand
Nepenthes merrilliana01100Philippines
Nepenthes pervillei350750Seychelles
Nepenthes thai500600Thailand
Nepenthes rosea450520Thailand
Nepenthes chang300600Thailand
Nepenthes hispida100800Borneo
Nepenthes kerrii400500Thailand
Nepenthes insignis0850New Guinea
Nepenthes vieillardii0850New Caledonia
Nepenthes beccariana0800Sumatra
Nepenthes bellii0800Philippines
Nepenthes extincta350450Philippines
Nepenthes sumatrana0800Sumatra
Nepenthes bicalcarata0700Borneo
Nepenthes distillatoria0700Sri Lanka
Nepenthes hirtella325375Thailand
Nepenthes kampotiana0600Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam
Nepenthes philippinensis0600Philippines
Nepenthes samar0600Philippines
Nepenthes alfedoi160345Philippines
Nepenthes madagascariensis0500Madagascar
Nepenthes northiana0500Borneo
Nepenthes tomoriana0500Sulawesi
Nepenthes campanulata100300Borneo, Philippines
Nepenthes masoalensis0400Madagascar
Nepenthes ultra0400Philippines
Nepenthes danseri0320Maluku Islands
Nepenthes hemsleyana0200Borneo
Nepenthes suratensis0200Thailand
Nepenthes thorelii0200Vietnam
Nepenthes rowaniae080Australia
Nepenthes tenax080Australia
Nepenthes treubiana080New Guinea
Nepenthes viridis050Philippines
Nepenthes parvula050Australia
Nepenthes abalata050Philippines
Nepenthes andamana050Thailand
Nepenthes kongkandana050Thailand
Nepenthes biak050New Guinea
Nepenthes orbiculata050Thailand
Nepenthes tayninhensis050Vietnam
Nepenthes misoolensis050New Guinea

Looking to buy a tropical pitcher plant?

If you’re in the UK, try Hampshire Carnivorous Plants. Matt Soper offers a brilliant selection of Nepenthes suitable for growers of all skill levels, as well as growing supplies like compost and pots.

If you’re in the United States, I can wholeheartedly recommend California Carnivores. They offer a fantastic range of Nepenthes species and hybrids suitable for growers of all abilities. You can also get 10% off your order with the code tomscarnivores.

Plants bought from specialist nurseries tend to be much stronger than those from hardware / DIY stores. You’ll also get better advice on successful cultivation, and you’ll be supporting a small business!

Still want to learn more?

If you’re interested in learning about general Nepenthes cultivation, such as soil preferences, light levels, and water, I recommend you check out my Complete Guide to Tropical Pitcher Plants.

I’d also highly recommend the following resources:

Top photo: Nepenthes villosa, by Brad Wilson.

Happy growing!