Mean Plants
Are you bored with normal house and garden plants? Why not check out some unusual carnivorous plants?
Of all the carnivorous plants, the best-known is the Venus Fly-Trap (Dionaea). It has jaw-like traps at the ends of its leaves, and when an insect touches the feelers on a trap, it springs shut and catches its victim. The plant then slowly digests the insect with its digestive juices. But don't try to fool it by giving it something it can't digest! If you do, the traps soon open again and the indigestible object is rejected.
General Information:
Most carnivorous plants have similar needs. Generally, if you provide your plant with bright light, high humidity, clean water and a proper mix of nutrient poor medium for them to grow in, your carnivor will thrive.
Soil Requirements:
In nature, carnivorous plants evolved in bogs and marshy areas that are very low in soil nutrients. They adapted by developing ways for their leaves to trap and digest insects. Therefore, any traditional fertilizing, or high nutrient potting soil is very bad for these plants. It's recommended that you use a mix of 60% peat moss and 40% white pumice, or perlite. Washed sand can also be added to the mix, but stay away from any decorative rocks or bleached additives. Live sphagnum moss, or dry sphagnum moss once re-hydrated, are also an excellent growing medium for nearly all carnivorous plants. Do not use other types of moss, such as 'spanish moss', as they are not suitable for carnivorous plants. Generally speaking, any store bought potting soil will not work. You really have to use the peat/sphagnum based mediums.
Watering:
Good water is a major factor in succesfully raising carnivorous plants. They are sensitive to chemicals and minerals in water, and hard water or water treated with chlorine generally should not be used. Rain water is excellent, and bottled water is second best, make sure it contains no added minerals. If you must use city water or hard well water, it is best to flush out your plants from time to time to wash out excessive buildups of anything harmful. If you have chlorine in your water, at least let it set for 24 hours so that some of the chlorine may evaporate. It really is best, especially for beginners, to stick to bottled or rain water.
Fertilizing:
There is never a need to fertilize carnivorous plants. Fertilizing can be especially stressful to them, and while they may show an initial spike in growth, in the long run the fertilizers will most likely prove to be too much for the plant to digest. Some experienced growers will use fertilizers in diluted amounts, but only at their own risk. As a general rule, beginners should never fertilize their carnivorous plants.
As tempting as it is, you really shouldn't force feed your plants. You do not need to feed them for them to survive. They do quite well on their own, even without eating many insects. You may be surprised by what they catch without assistance!
How To Grow:
Terrariums are great for growing carnivorous plants indoors, though some species are better suited to it than others. A terrarium can be as simple as a small fish tank with a plastic lid. The idea is to keep the humidity high for your plants this way. But be careful that your terrarium doesn't get too warm, especially if in sunlight. If you are concerned about having enough light, flourescent lights work nicely when placed 6-12" above the plants.
HELP! I THINK IT'S DEAD!
Some species, such as venus flytraps and sarracenia, require a dormancy period each year. During this time they will stop growing, and may appear to be browning and getting a bit ugly. This is natural, as each year's growth dies off and the plant stores energy deep inside, waiting for the following spring to resume growth. It is best to provide 3-5 months of dormancy for your plants.
Flowering:
Carnivorous plants will grow flowers like many other plants. You might not expect some of the dazzling floral displays that sarracenia are capable of, or the charming tiny pink and white flowers common to sundews, but they do grow them. For beginning growers it is best to remove flower stalks before they develop, as they will focus alot of the plant's energy into growing the bloom. By removing the bloom, more of that energy will go towards general growth, increasing the chance of success for your plant overall.
Related Articles & Resources:
- Rare Exotic Seeds - Canadian supplier of rare seeds in small packages. Assortment includes trees suitable for bonsai, carnivorous plants, lily, daylily, passiflora, etlingera, musa, heliconia and a lot more exotic seeds. The site includes item descriptions, germination tips and images.
