If you live near or frequent wilderness areas in Texas, the eastern seaboard and the Great Lakes area, chances are you have encountered the Sarracenia carnivorous plants.  These unique species are endemic in these places as well as in southeastern Canada. Eight to eleven species comprise the genus Sarracenia, which are commonly called the North American pitcher plants. Read the rest of this entry

Much joy and excitement will be had when you buy your first of many carnivorous plants. Whether it’s a sundew, venus flytrap, or pitcher plant that’s your first purchase of this type, you might quickly realize you don’t know how to give it the best care. If you find yourself in this situation, this is the right place for you! Your questions may include: when should I water it, do I need to fertilize it, or can I give it insects myself? The goal of this post is to help show you the basic carnivorous plants secrets. Read the rest of this entry

If you are new to carnivore plants, then deciding what ones to keep at home might seem like a daunting task.  You will want to get one that is easy to care for, but are probably hoping to get the most interesting carnivorous plants available.  Keeping the care requirements, the unique appearance, and the ‘cool factor’ of the commonly available carnivore plants in mind, here is a list of the top 5 you should consider growing at home!

5) Pitcher Plants - Nepenthes Pitcher Plants are definitely unique carnivore plants.  They comprise approximately 120 species, and are mostly found in the old world tropics.  They are classified as vine-forming carnivorous plants and some species can grow to monstrous proportions if properly cared for.  These tropical pitcher plants are not necessarily easy to find in North America.  If you are willing to do your research, you can find some incredible natural species and hybrid crosses. Read the rest of this entry

Nepenthes pitcher plants were first discovered in the middle of the 17th century.  They became quite popular in Great Britain in the 19th century, with much effort spent discovering new varieties to bring home for the wealthy to cultivate.  These plant hunting missions lead to the discovery that the Nepenthes pitcher plants have an extensive range in which they grow naturally.  Within their native ranges, these carnivorous plants can be found at altitudes as low as sea level, and even above 3000 feet high. Read the rest of this entry

When planning your first carnivorous garden, you may be overwhelmed by all the options and choices you will need to make. In the first article in the carnivorous garden series, I introduced the idea of starting your own bog garden featuring insectivorous plants. This article will focus on key design tips for this type of garden. Important points to consider include location, size, shape, and any needs of special plants. Read the rest of this entry

With the worldwide interest in carnivorous plants, it comes as no surprise that some people attempt to push things to the next level. If you’ve had carnivorous plants for awhile, and are wondering what else you can do with these fascinating plants, maybe a carnivorous garden is the next step for you. Carnivorous gardens can also be known as bog gardens as there is much overlap between these two entities. Since this topic is a rather large one, it will be discussed in multiple parts to allow you to absorb the information before learning more.
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