If you want to add a unique touch to your garden, carnivorous plants are bound to get attention. From the common Venus Flytrap to the Cobra plant, these exotics serve several purposes. Both these plants consume insects and can be of benefit to any garden in that way and in addition, they are a great conversational piece. The size of the plant you select will determine the amount of insects consumed, however, the entertainment they provide for both adults and children alike, is well worth the investment.
There are five different types of carnivorous plants. The most common type, is the Venus Flytrap found in cultivated varieties of the Dionaea muscipula family. The carnivorous Venus flytrap plant can snap its clamshell leaves around an insect in less than a second.
When a fly or insect walks on the surface, this activates a hair trigger and causes closure, as the traps closes it fills with an enzyme solution, and then it will dissolve the proteins from the insect. Digestion takes five to 12 days, after which the trap reopens, then the insect’s exoskeleton blows away in the wind or is washed away by rain.
Plants within the Venus Flytrap family have a large variety of different colored species found in various sizes.
Flypaper traps are among some of the coolest carnivorous plants. They are covered with dense, gland-tipped hairs and several tiny midge flies are stuck to the sticky hairs, which causes the insect to be enzymatically digested and absorbed by the plant. The type of secretion created by this particular plant can cause skin irritation to humans and therefore should be treated with caution.
The only carnivorous plant with a true “trapdoor” is the remarkable bladderwort. Numerous, tiny glands inside the bladder absorb most of the internal water and expel it on the outside, and as a result, a partial vacuum is produced inside the bladder and the pressure on the outside becomes greater than the inside. Once an insect or aquatic species has been trapped within, escape is difficult. Unlike many carnivorous plant species, these are more commonly found underwater than above ground.
In summary, the lobster pot traps are among some of the most unusual looking carnivorous plants that you can acquire, they function by giving insects an easy way to enter, but little chance of escape.
In the case of the corkscrew plant, the insides of the plant have downward pointing obstructions and a y-shaped leaf structure that prevents the escape of its prey.
If you do not wish to have a true carnivorous plant in your garden, but would like something with similar characteristics, there are several related species you may want to consider. Some of these type of plants come from the Martyniaceae family, such as the Brocchinia Roridula. These plants lack one of the three required aspects, which is to attract, kill and digest prey, to be classified as a true carnivorous plant.
Carnivorous plants should be placed where young children and babies cannot reach them. Even though they are considered relatively harmless to humans, the type of digestive enzymes they produce to break down their captured prey, should be avoided.
Popular Questions
How do carnivorous plants catch and digest insects?
Carnivorous plants use specialized leaves to trap insects through sticky surfaces, enclosed chambers, snap traps, or slippery pitchers. After an insect is captured, the plant releases digestive enzymes or relies on helpful microorganisms to break down nutrients. The plant absorbs compounds such as nitrogen and phosphorus from the prey, supplementing—not replacing—photosynthesis.
What kind of light do carnivorous plants need indoors?
Most carnivorous plants need several hours of bright light each day to grow well and develop strong colors. Place them near a sunny south- or east-facing window, or use a suitable full-spectrum grow light when natural light is limited. Keep the light close enough for adequate intensity while monitoring leaves for bleaching or scorching.
How should you water carnivorous plants?
Water carnivorous plants with distilled water, reverse-osmosis water, or rainwater because tap-water minerals can damage their roots. For moisture-loving species, set the pot in a shallow tray and keep a small amount of water available during active growth. Use pots with drainage holes and avoid letting the growing medium become completely dry.
Do carnivorous plants need fertilizer or insects?
Healthy carnivorous plants usually obtain nutrients from captured prey and do not need regular soil fertilizer. Never feed them meat, cheese, or other human foods, since these can harm the traps and encourage rot. If a plant is grown indoors without access to insects, offer an occasional appropriately sized insect or use a highly diluted, species-appropriate foliar feed only when recommended for that plant.
