Hello leoak,

There are several methods to root Nepenthes, however; everything I know is just what I have read. I will probably loose quite a few cuttings when I try it myself.

The method you used is one, take a cutting, make a node by cutting a leaf off and plant it in moist media. Rooting hormone is also a good idea to apply to speed up rooting before the cutting dies back.

Another method involves taking the cutting and placing it in a darkened vase of water.

Some people like to cut several notches in the base of the cutting and apply rooting hormone then place in soil or water, increasing the chances that one of the notches will root.

Another interesting method involves what is called air-layering where a doner plant has one or more vines notched without cutting them off. The notched sections are then planted in separate pots near the doner plant after rooting hormone is applied. In this way, the doner plant keeps the notched sections alive longer so that rooting might occur. Eventually, when the notched vines are rooted, they are cut free completely and become new plants.

In any case, not all cuttings will take and they take a long time to root anyways. Some species are easier to take cuttings from too from what I understand.

The first time I split one of my nepenthes, I accidentally broke it apart so one division got all the roots. I just planted the division with no roots in my nep mix and kept it constantly wet (tray method) and watered with rooting hormone frequently. It lost a lot of leaves, but managed to hang onto a few. It was a full year before I got any new growth on the plant.

Good luck!

I haven't tried rooting a cutting, but would like to, so I'd like to see how yours turns out.

From what I have read, cuttings need lots of light, (not heat though), and lots of humidity. I would cut the top of a clear 2-liter bottle, or a clear acrylic serving bowl, and place it over the cutting. Fluorescent lights would work well too.

Now moving on from what I have read to intuition. What is the point of putting a cutting immediately in a moist medium, or even watering it? It has no roots. Perhaps you should cut, let it callous over for a day or two, dunk it in some rooting hormone powder, and then stick it in some barely moist perlite. Give it lots of light and humidity. After a while, you can start watering lightly, once you feel that roots have sprouted. I only say perlite because it doesn't compact, and holds moisture in static pores (as opposed to LFS, or vermiculite, which absorb water more like a sponge) and it will be easy peasy to repot it when the time comes.

This is what I had planned on doing when my momma gets a little bigger, but we'll see. Someone might have a tried and true method that is better, but it makes sense to me. Good Luck

I didn't know that you could water with rooting hormone. I'll try that. This morning I was thinking of cutting off the rotten part and try dipping it in rooting hormone again. Unfortunately, my house is a black hole and I can't find the rooting hormone. I've heard of using a willow as a rooting hormone. I can't remember if you have to use the bark or a twig. I know you soak the piece overnight and it works as a rooting hormone. Anyone know about this? I know I read it when I was working with roses.

I think it was actually a "Superthrive" solution that I used; which I think is a kind of rooting hormone.