Carnivorous Plants

[Lizardlover]

Does anyone else here keep carnivorous plants? I have a few purple pitchers, a sundew and a venus flytrap, Ill try to get up pics soon, anyone else care to share pics? They make great recycling bins for dead feeders

 

[ijmccollum]

Tried to incorporate them into the vivs -- lost them all -- bummers. Am looking to replace but am not all that savvy on care -- as evidenced at the start of reply. I have always been facinated by them though.

 

[Lizardlover]

they need to have a constant water source (keep their pots in a dish of water) and copious amounts of sunlight.

 

[ijmccollum]

Are temps a concern?

 

[Lizardlover]

not really, I mean dont get ridiculous though, they normally go dormant in the winter and loose all their leaves. I keep mine outside on the patio.

 

[ijmccollum]

Well... I live in the intermountain west. We get lots of snow and I think it got to 14F yesterday. So, maybe let them go dormant in a downstairs bedroom? Usually plants come in to our area, Lowes, etc., at start of winter. They look healthy but I am wondering how close they are to their native growth and if shock from greenhouse to store to home can be minimized for greater success?

 

[james L]

I have some sort of nepenthes sp. Its pitchers get about 12inches long. I feed it insects that dont get eaten in my cages. Ive cared for all sorts of carns over the past 10 years and this is the only plant thats lived over a couple of years for me. Here in florida there lots of native pitchers, sundews, butter, and bladderworts if you know where to look, so if your into them do some research and you may find some near your house.

 

[ijmccollum]

Okay, the pickings at Lowes was slim but I did pick up a cobra lily and sundew. Little itty bitty things, came potted in a 2" container. Hope to grow them to monstrous proportions -- I like a challenge.

Let's see what you guys got.

 

[james L]

wow cant believe lowes had a cobra plant. Thats a neat little plant

 

[ijmccollum]

yeah, pretty sweet. now i need to keep it alive.

 

[laurie]

A while ago there was a thread by veiled cham guy that went into complete care for pitcher plants. I have two growing right along. mine are in a dish garden in a bathroom. Large bowl with gravel half way to the top, plants sit about a 1/2 inch into the gravel and I pout water thru the pitcher plants into the gravel each day. They get a bit of sun, it is up to 1 degree right now so you can grow them inside in Colorado.

 

[Lizardlover]

My venus flytraps and sundews are outside and are still growing new leaves and flowers.

 

[ijmccollum]

Thanks Laurie, I'll see if I can find that thread. Did you repot them into the water garden or put them and their pot in the garden? I need to find a dish for my bulbs I want to force so I guess I will look for one for the carns as well. Have you found what light orientation works best -- N,S,W,E?