Albany pitcher plant.

At a glance

Care level

Difficult

Plant type

Carnivorous perennial

Light

Bright, filtered light

Indoor light

Bright indirect

Water

Every 2 to 5 days

Mature size

6 inches tall

Growth rate

Slow

Hardiness

USDA 9 to 11

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged to prevent root rot. Watch for browning pitcher tips, which often signal low humidity or poor water quality. Always use distilled or rainwater, as minerals in tap water can harm the plant.

Watering

Keep the growing medium damp using only distilled or rainwater.

Feeding

Fertilizer is rarely needed, but a very weak foliar feed can be applied sparingly.

Pruning

Trim off dead or dried pitchers to keep the plant tidy.

Repotting

Only repot when necessary, as this plant dislikes root disturbance.

Soil

Peat and perlite mix

Soil pH

Acidic

Temperature

5 to 28°C

Humidity

60 to 90%

Drought tolerance

Low

Lifespan

Perennial, typically 10 plus years with proper care.

Deer and rabbits

High

Safety

People

There is no evidence that this plant is toxic to humans.

Children

The small pitchers are fragile and should be kept away from curious children to prevent damage to the plant.

Edibility

This plant is not edible and should not be consumed.

How to identify it

• Small, leathery, dark green leaves
• Distinctive, hairy, slipper-shaped pitchers
• Pitcher lids have translucent windows
• Slow growing, compact rosette habit

Height

0.05 to 0.15m

Spread

0.1 to 0.25m

Leaves

green, red, purple, evergreen

Flowers

white, cream, 0.5 to 1cm

Problems to watch for

• Fungus GnatsCommon
• Root RotCommon
• AphidsUncommon
• Gray MoldUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

division, cuttings, seed

When to plant

spring

Overwintering

Keep the plant in a cool, bright spot and ensure the soil stays just damp rather than soggy. Avoid freezing temperatures.

In containers

It grows very well in pots, which are often preferred to keep the soil conditions consistent.

Group carnivorous plants together to create a microclimate that maintains the high humidity they all crave.

Grows well with

• Sundew · They share similar requirements for high humidity and nutrient poor soil.
• Butterwort · These plants thrive in the same boggy, acidic conditions.

Similar species

• Tropical Pitcher Plant · Both use pitfall traps to capture insects but have different growth habits.

Science

Family

Cephalotaceae

Genus

Cephalotus

Order

Oxalidales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Southwestern Australia

Conservation

It is protected in its native habitat and should only be purchased from reputable nurseries that propagate their own stock.

It grows in nutrient poor, acidic peat bogs where it relies on insect prey to supplement its nitrogen intake.

Value to wildlife

carnivorous insect control

Pollinators

beetles

Uses

ornamental, scientific study

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does it need a dormancy period?

It appreciates a slight cooling in winter but does not require a strict dormant phase.

Can I feed it bugs?

It will naturally catch its own food, so you do not need to feed it.

Where the name comes from

The name Cephalotus comes from the Greek word for head, referring to the shape of the anthers, while follicularis refers to the follicle like shape of the pitchers.

Good to know

• It is endemic to a very small area in southwestern Australia.
• The pitchers have a specialized rim called a peristome that helps trap insects.
• It is a slow growing plant that appreciates stable conditions.

Also in

• Deer-resistant plants