About Dr. Jeff Shafer
Founder of NepenthesGod | Theoretical Physicist Turned Carnivorous Plant Cultivator
With multiple technical degrees—including a Ph.D. in theoretical physics—and over 30 years of experience cultivating Nepenthes, Jeff applies a uniquely analytical, systems-level approach to growing these tropical pitcher plants, renowned for their alien beauty and botanical intricacy.
While building a career solving complex problems in high-stakes, high-precision engineering environments, Jeff simultaneously began cultivating Nepenthes—a parallel pursuit that would grow into a lifelong obsession. From the start, he was drawn to the highland cloud forests of Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines—home to some of the most enigmatic and endangered species in the genus. What began as a passion project evolved over decades into a second vocation. Today, Jeff is regarded as one of the world’s leading private growers and hybridizers of Nepenthes.
Operating out of a custom-engineered, climate-optimized greenhouse in Colorado, Jeff grows rare Nepenthes from seed under conditions that precisely replicate the high-elevation, low-nutrient environments these plants evolved in. His breeding work focuses on iconic, toothy highlanders—N. edwardsiana, N. villosa, N. lowii, and their spectacular hybrids—all selected for outstanding morphology, vigor, and genetic integrity. Every plant sold through NepenthesGod is seed-grown and representative of the highest horticultural standards.
Jeff's scientific rigor and long history in research and development inform every aspect of his cultivation philosophy—from controlled cross-pollination protocols to long-term phenotype tracking and microenvironment optimization. His work is followed by collectors, researchers, and conservationists around the globe.
​
You can follow his latest projects and rarest specimens on Instagram @nepenthesgod, where he shares his journey growing some of the most spectacular carnivorous plants on Earth.
​
NepenthesGod is where science meets obsession.