By Kelly Miller
The world of carnivorous plants offers fascinating possibilities for home gardeners. Few displays in the plant kingdom can compete with the jaws of a Venus flytrap quietly closing on its prey or the unique shapes and characteristics of carnivorous plants.
Even if you aren’t interested in feeding bugs to your plants, carnivorous plants are diverse and beautiful. Their “special skill” is just an extra layer of intrigue.
Here’s everything you need to know to add a carnivorous plant to your garden or houseplant collection.
How Carnivorous Plants Work
There are over 700 species of carnivorous plants. They evolved in habitats with nutrient-poor soils, such as swamps and bogs. To get the nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients they need, these plants adapted the rare ability to trap and consume animal prey.
To be considered carnivorous, a plant must display these traits:
- Captures and kills prey in traps.
- Digests and absorbs nutrients from its prey.
- Uses nutrients from its prey to fuel growth.
Carnivorous plant traps include:
Snap traps: leaves snap shut to enclose prey.
Adhesive/flypaper traps: prey gets stuck on a sticky substance on leaves.
Pitfall traps: leaves form a water-filled pit that prey slip into, then drown.
Lobster pot traps: leaves form a cavity that’s easy to enter but difficult to exit.
Some “hunting” is passive, such as a pitfall trap that lures an insect with a slippery surface, then slowly absorbs the prey after it dies.
In an active trap, the plant uses movement to trap prey. The most famous active carnivorous plant is the Venus flytrap, which uses nectar scent to lure prey onto its leaves. After “trigger hairs” on the leaves are activated, the leaves snap shut to enclose the prey.
Types of Carnivorous Plants You Can Grow at Home
There are many types of carnivorous plants you can grow at home, but a few species stand out as the easiest to grow and most widely available. These include Venus flytraps, tropical pitcher plants, trumpet pitcher plants, and sundews.
Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
The Venus flytrap is native to the wetlands of North and South Carolina. It’s the most popular carnivorous plant in North America.
Venus flytraps grow clusters of clamshell-shaped traps that are green on the outside and red on the inside. Each trap can snap shut on prey only a handful of times. Old traps fall off and are replaced by new growth.
Venus flytraps are hardy and easy to care for if you provide the right conditions. They grow well as houseplants or in greenhouses. As North American natives, Venus flytraps can also thrive outdoors in many parts of the US.
Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes species)
Nepenthes, commonly known as pitcher plants, are tropical plants, native to Asia. They grow long, climbing stems with leaves that form upright tube-shaped traps, or pitchers.
Similar to orchids, tropical pitcher plants thrive in warm, humid conditions. In their first few years, they develop slowly. Once matured, they grow long vines that look great in hanging baskets.
Sarracenia (Sarracenia species)
The Sarracenia genus contains around 15 North American carnivorous plants. These are commonly known as trumpet pitcher plants or just pitcher plants. Similar to Nepenthes pitchers, Sarracenia catch prey in pitfall traps formed by tall, tubular leaves.
There are thousands of Sarracenia varieties, presenting all sorts of gorgeous colors and shapes. They grow best outdoors, in sunny locations.
Sundew (Drosera species)
Drosera is a genus of around 200 species of carnivorous plants, known as sundews, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Sundew leaves are covered in hair-like tentacles that release droplets of sticky, sugary water. When prey land on the leaves to feed on these droplets, they get stuck. Some sundews passively consume insects as they dissolve on the leaves, while others curl around their prey like tiny boa constrictors.
Subtropical sundews are the most common types of sundew to grow as houseplants. The most popular species is Drosera capensis, or Cape sundew, which is known as an ideal first carnivorous plant for beginners.
Tips for Growing Carnivorous Plants
Many carnivorous plant species grow in North America and are targeted by illegal poaching. Thus, it’s important to only buy from reputable companies, such as California Carnivores, Predatory Plants, or Curious Plants.
Many new carnivorous plant owners are most curious about “feeding” their plants, but the primary concerns should be environmental conditions: soil, water, light, and temperature.
Soil for Carnivorous Plants
Typical houseplant potting mixes aren’t appropriate for carnivorous plants. The typical growing medium is peat with horticultural sand and/or perlite.
Watering Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants usually prefer very moist soil. Distilled water or rainwater is usually better than tap water, which may contain minerals that harm the plant.
How Much Light Do Carnivorous Plants Need
Most carnivorous plants grow best in full sun or with plenty of bright light if grown indoors.
Preferred Climate and Dormancy of Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants are usually grown indoors or in greenhouses, but many can grow outside as perennials if the climate is similar to their native range. Most thrive in moderate temperatures with high humidity. Some, including Venus flytraps, go dormant in winter and need to spend this time in a cool location, such as by a window in a shed or garage.
Every species is different, so be sure to thoroughly research whichever species you’re interested in before making a purchase.
Do Carnivorous Plants Need to Consume Insects to Survive?
Carnivorous plants are adapted to get some of their nutrients from insects. In some conditions, they may survive without feeding on prey. However, insect food helps them thrive.
Outdoor plants attract prey on their own, while indoor plants benefit from the occasional feeding, such as fruit flies or beetles. Feeding isn’t a daily need. Most carnivorous plants can’t handle more than one “meal” per week.
If you don’t want to feed bugs to your plant, there are other options. Alternative foods for carnivorous plants include fish food and small doses of fertilizer.
Discover More Unique Houseplants
With their amazing “hunting” skills, carnivorous plants are among the most fascinating plants you can care for. They’re especially interesting for kids, since they provide a look at one of nature’s most surprising adaptations.
If you appreciate unusual plants, then a Bonsai tree might be the perfect addition to your plant collection. Learn how easy it is to get started with this rewarding hobby in our article, How to Care for a New Bonsai Tree.
0 Comments