Meat-Eating Carnivorous Plants

Growing Carnivorous Plants as Houseplants and in Your Home Garden

Wow, a meat-eating plant! Don’t put your finger near them, if you want them back. Yes, carnivorous plants are among the choices you can make to grow in your home as a houseplant, or outdoors in the flower garden. And, you can feed them, too. So, it’s no surprise that these plants are referred to as the carnivore plant. Read this guide on how to grow carnivorous plants, so you can watch them capture and feed on insects and even small pieces of meat that you give them. Certainly, this is a novelty plant.

Awesome, and perhaps a little scary? We agree. But, it certainly is not scary. Most carnivorous plants eat insects. Some carnivorous plants will capture and consume frogs and other small mammals. But, there are no known species of plants that are big enough, or capable, of eating humans…..Whew!!!

Not all carnivorous plants eat their prey. Some capture them but do not consume them. For example, the Catchfly flower, as its name implies, catches flies and small insects. Its sticky calyces catch insects and don’t let them go. However, the plant does not eat or absorb the insect.

The world of carnivorous plants is a fascinating one. Most of us know of the most popular ones, like Venus Flytrap, Pitcher Plant, and Bladderworts. Actually, there are several hundred species of carnivorous plants, that can be found in their native environment, all over the world. They are found in warm and cold climates, too.

Carnivorous plants grow in areas with nutrient-poor soil. Nature adapted them to these poor soil conditions with the ability to capture (mostly) insects to supplement the lack of nutrients in the soil. In addition to their fascinating insect-trapping characteristics, there is a wide range of attractive foliage and flowers.

Carnivorous plants can be grown indoors or out. They are very popular as houseplants. Family members, young and old alike, will enjoy feeding the plants.

The Trapping Methods of Carnivorous Plants

There are several different methods a carnivore plant uses to entice and capture its prey. These methods include:

Catchfly Flower – the plant’s sticky calyses captures flies and insects. However, the plant doesn’t eat them.

Pitfall – The most common of these are “Pitcher Plants” pictured at the top of this page. Nectar in and around the pitcher attracts the insects. They enter and fall in.

Steel Trap – An insect enters the trap and triggers the plant to slam the trap shut. Unless you are an insect lover, it’s fun to watch. The best-known plant in this category is the Venus Flytrap.

Suction Trap – The trap looks like a bulb or egg, called a bladder. The bladder has a hole with a trap door. Inside the bladder is a vacuum. The plant sucks the insect into its bladder.

Flypaper – Sticky hairs on the leaves capture insects. Plants are either active or passive. Passive leaves do not move. Active flypaper leaves curl up as they capture insects.

Lobster Pot – Hairs of the pot only allow one-way movement, deeper and deeper into the trap.

Did you Know? Charles Darwin was fascinated by these plants and performed many experiments on them.

Carnivorous Plant Propagation

Most carnivore plant varieties are propagated by tubers, tuberous roots, or rhizomes. You don’t have to traipse around in the woods and swamps to find these plants.

Also, you can buy one at your local garden store. Also, some of these plants are propagated from seed.

How to Grow Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous plants are easy to grow. They grow in acidic, poor soils that lack nutrients. They prefer moist to wet soil, depending upon the species. While temperature ranges vary among species, most plants prefer a humid environment.

Many people grow carnivore plants indoors. The most popular is the Venus Fly Trap. Use soil poor in nutrients, sphagnum moss, or peat moss. Do not plant in any soils where fertilizer or other nutrients have been added. Any fertilizer can burn the roots.

Most species require full sunlight. If growing as a houseplant, place it in the sunniest window. The use of grow lights is helpful.

Most plants prefer moist to wet soils during the growing period. It is important to know which your plant prefers in order to provide optimum growing conditions. Make sure to inquire when you purchase plants.

Important: Fertilizer is not recommended and can be harmful to your plant. Carnivorous plants are used to extremely poor soil conditions. Any additional fertilizer can burn the roots.

Most carnivorous plants require a dormant period. Some plants will die back right to the roots, or appear dead.

How to Feed Carnivorous Plants

Now the fun begins. Growing in extremely poor soils, the roots do not find enough nutrients to survive. They must consume a regular supply of insects for survival. Grown outdoors, the plants will naturally attract and capture the insects it needs.

If you grow them indoors as houseplants, chances are (hopefully) you do not have a lot of insects in the house. You may need to supplement their diet. You can capture and use small insects. Or, you can use fresh, uncooked meat. Tiny pieces of hamburger often work well. In a family setting, there is usually no shortage of family members volunteering to feed the plants.