Carnivorous Plants for Home Gardeners

Although not always easy to grow, several groups of carnivorous plants can thrive with the right soil mix, regular moisture, sun and humidity. And an occasional bug, of course.

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Photo By: Felder Rushing

Photo By: Image provided by Felder Rushing

Photo By: Photo by Felder Rushing

Photo By: Image provided by Felder Rushing

Carnivorous Plants

Pitcher plants, sun dews, Venus flytraps — there are some very interesting "meat-eating" plants that, given the right conditions, can become a fascinating gardening hobby. These incredible living decorations are more than your typical houseplants. They are a wonder of nature because of their unusual foliage and flowers, their survival techniques and how they capture their prey. So, whether you’re looking for a plant with unique scientific traits, or want to go a little dark and goth with your plant decor, check out these exotic beauties.

Full Sun Required

A mixture of peat moss and either sand or perlite will help these plants stay moist but not wet. They require full sun and humidity to thrive.

Venus Flytrap

Like other carnivorous plants, Venus flytrap typically slows growth before going dormant in the fall and winter, but perks back up in the spring — just like in nature. Protect them from hard freezes.

Venus Flytrap

The two lobes of the snap-trap shut in an eyeblink, then slowly tighten around their prey. Because individual traps get worn out after just a few feedings, feed only every few weeks.

Sundew

The "Alice" sundew (Drosera aliciae) is one of the easiest to grow. The more sun you give it, the redder it becomes.

Cape Sundew

Cape Sundew (Drosera capensis) is one of the easiest sundews to grow, as long as it gets sun and humidity.

Sundew

Sundews come in many shapes and forms. Feed every few weeks with a combination of small insects and finely-crushed fish food pellets or flakes mixed with a little rainwater.

Drosea Venusta

Flies and mosquitoes are among the preferred meals for the Drosera venusta sundew. Its vivid red-orange and bright red tendrils — that look like blood splatters — attract its prey and curl up to begin its process of digesting and absorbing the insect.

Drosea Spatulata Var Lovellae

The splattered blood appearance of the Drosera spatulata var. lovellae is enough to make you cringe. Its leaves and tentacles turn a striking scarlet color under bright sunlight to attract and catch flies and other insects. Critters make contact, triggering a curling reaction allowing the plant to wrap around its prey to digest and absorb the victim’s nutrients.

Pinguicula Pirouette

The delicate, pink-rimmed leaves of the Pinguicula Pirouette butterwort are a fungus gnat’s worst nightmare. The plant's leaves — shaped like pointy vampire ears — are sticky, so when an insect lands on them, they get stuck and can’t fly away.

Threadleaf Sundew (Drosera filiformis)

Threatleaf Sundew has long, thin tendrils covered with sticky glands that entrap and curl around prey.

Pitcher Plant

Pitcher plants (Serracenia) are native to North America and grow in full sun in wet, nutrient-poor soils. They have separate flower stems and elongated specialized leaves which trap insects that fall and slip into digestive juices.

Pitcher Plants Make Great Container Gardens

This wild pitcher plant (Serracenia) grows so well in a container, it has won a blue ribbon at the Mississippi State Fair flower show — not far from where it naturally roams wild throughout the moist Gulf Coast wetlands.

Carnovores Need the Right Soil

Most carnivorous plants grow best in a mixture peat moss and either sharp sand or perlite. They also need hours of direct sun, regular moisture and humidity.

Carnivorous Plant Box

A moderate size box with clear sides and top makes a great container for growing a collection of carnivorous plants.

Nepenthese

Tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthese) are often too large for home gardeners. They thrive in bright, humid conditions and an occasional spider, fly, roach or cricket in one of its hanging cups filled with digestive juices.

Nepenthese

To help tropical pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants feed better, try refrigerating crickets, bloodworms (available at pet stores), spiders or flies to slow them down a bit.

Nepenthes Lovely Mirror

Say her name three times in a row, and you may just summon Bloody Mary through the Nepenthes Lovely Mirror. Its enticing reddish color attracts its bait and closes the lid over the top of the pitcher plant — trapping its victim and ensuring that it doesn’t escape.

Carnivorous Plants for Home Gardeners

Related To:

Shop This Look

Carnivorous Plants

Full Sun Required

Venus Flytrap

Venus Flytrap

Sundew

Cape Sundew

Sundew

Drosea Venusta

Drosea Spatulata Var Lovellae

Pinguicula Pirouette

Threadleaf Sundew (Drosera filiformis)

Pitcher Plant

Pitcher Plants Make Great Container Gardens

Carnovores Need the Right Soil

Carnivorous Plant Box

Nepenthese

Nepenthese

Nepenthes Lovely Mirror

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