Predatory Plants Are Fun to Grow

I am making an effort to bring my garden inside for the winter and it occurred to me how fun plants such as Venus Fly Traps are. As a kid I had one or a few I guess and they were fascinating and a continuous source of conversation.

Types of Predatory Plants
As I strolled through a garden center last week I noticed that Pitcher Plants were also available for sale and they are also predatory plants that will catch insects...the Pitcher Plants have a pitcher as the name implies which fills with water--some of them produce their own liquid--and catch and digest bugs in that way. Pitcher plants are a real interesting group of plants to look at: they have a pitcher or usually several pitchers with what appears like a cover over the pitcher which closes over the pitcher when a bug gets inside it. There are American Pitcher Plants, Tropical Pitcher Plants, and Australian Pitcher Plants and each region produces distinctive characteristics which you'll learn as you see them more.

Sundews are another type of predatory plant...they have a surface which produces a sticky substance that ensnares bugs after which the plant closes over the bug and it is then digested by the plant. Drosera spatulata or the 'spoonleaf sundew' --named that because the bug trap resembles a spoon--has red sticky hairs for catching bugs...as the plant goes through its yearly cycle it produces long flower stalks which display delicate pink flowers. Drosera capensis or the 'Cape Sundew' which have the appearance of an aloe plant but the two or three dozen outwardly spiraling leaves are slightly upwardly concave...the leaves contain tiny hairs that produce a sticky mucilage that ensnares bugs after which the leaf closes on the captured prey. Drosera capensis is red in color, but there is a white or "alba" variety which is visually striking. The Sundews are easy to grow and are a good plant to grow for beginner plant hobbyists. A variety of Sundew from Australia that is noteworthy is the 'Lance Leaf Sundew' which features glistening spade-shaped leave...as the plant goes to flower it produces a star-like red flower on top of a long stalk.

The Venus Fly Trap is the plant which catches everyone's eye and is remembered by everyone after the first sight of one. It looks like a jaw with teeth...the 'teeth' of the trap keep the bug from exiting to safety as the trap closes on its prey after a bug happens into the trap that it didn't suspect. The gift of a Venus Fly Trap is a great one for birthdays, Christmas, or as an afterthought as you buy plants for your Spring garden. Venus Fly Traps come in many shapes and colors. Some Venus Fly Traps or Dionaea muscupula are dark red compared to the typical green varieties we frequently encounter in garden centers. Some varieties feature a slightly sealed or fused together jaw of the fly trap itself. In some regions of the United States Venus Fly Traps can be planted in the ground outside since they are hardy enough to survive in some Southern states.

Butterworts are a predatory plant which greenhouses employ as a defense against fruit flies and certain gnats which are drawn to fungus. Butterworts or Pingulcula primuliflora can be put outside as potted plants but need to be kept from a hard freeze--temperatures of thirty degrees Fahrenheit or less. Many varieties of Butterworts produce multiple flower stalks with white leaves.

Care of Your Predatory Plant
Many predatory plants go dormant in the winter...the trap of the Venus Fly Trap will cease to catch bugs after it enters dormancy. The plant will also not produce any new leaves while in dormancy. Venus Fly Traps don't tolerate chlorinated water well so if you buy one collect rainwater outside and water your predatory plant that way. Water all your predatory plants that way. Predatory plants are mostly tropical in origin and need to have their soil to be damp all the time...that means you need to water it every day. Some predatory plants are happy in a terrarium and on a windowsill. Most prefer a lot of sun. If you buy one ask a few questions at the garden center where you buy it.

Tending and feeding your 'animal' will be a real lesson in paying attention to details.

Resources:
www.predatoryplants.com