Why I find carnivorous plants to be fascinating and beautiful.
When I was a kid, I remember seeing a movie that took place in a remote tropical jungle.
A little girl was playing and stepped onto a large plant. The plant's large leaves quickly enclosed her and she was gone! That was my first idea of
what a "man" eating plant was like. Later on I was to receive a cute little plant which happened to be a Venus Fly Trap.
I remember my father telling me that this plant actually caught and ate bugs by closing its leaves! Myths abound regarding
these mysterious plants. They fascinate us because we are not familiar with the concept of plants having an almost cunning ability to
attract and capture prey. "Carnivorous Plants rearrange the natural order of nature where plants are usually the
meal, not the consumer of animal protein." (Pietropaolo, 1986, p. 1) Also, surprisingly, many of these plants reside naturally
right in our own country; I had come to believe that these were rare and exotic plants which grew only in tropical climates.
(I have found out that many species grow in Northern and Southern Carolina, and also New England.).
After researching just a little bit, I have found that some of these plants can be easily grown and their propagation can
be just the hobby that children as well as adults might enjoy. By reading about carnivorous plants and growing them, the
myths about what they are, what they eat, how they attain their source of nutrients, and where they grow can be dispelled.
Raising some of these plants can familiarize us with some of the incredible mysteries of nature.
But even with these fantastic stories and myths dispelled, these plants remain beautiful and intriguing.
What is a Carnivorous Plant?Carnivorous plants are plants that lure and trap live prey for their nutrition. Although carnivorous means "meat-eating," these plants are much more passive than the word carnivorous implies. Here are some characteristics of carnivorous plants.
Why do Carnivorous Plants Catch Their Food This Way?"Plants have evolved to utilize all available habitats such as arid and semi-arid regions, moist and waterlogged areas, full sunlight to complete shade, from tropical to Arctic climates. Thus, it would be logical to expect that plants would evolve to survive in nutrient-poor soils and/or water." (Pietropaolo, 1986, p. 6) It is thought that these plants gradually adapted to nutrient-deficient soil by obtaining nutrients from other sources, such as by absorbing the remains of decomposing insects through water-filled depressions in their leaves. Eventually, those plants better suited to luring and attracting insects were better able to survive.
How Do Carnivorous Plants Catch Their Food?
Carnivorous plants are divided up into five groups.
Preservation of these plants.Contrary to what people might think, mankind is not the only threat to carnivorous plants. Threats to plants are:
Cultivation for BeginnersFor beginners, pick easy to grow plants such as Nepenthes, Cephalotus, Utricularia. Pinguicula, Drosera and Utricularia can be grown outdoors in pots in some parts of the United States. Necessary elements to consider:
This insect-eating plant does not need flies to survive. It flourishes in a closed garden or terrarium which simulates the humid atmosphere of its native Carolina habitat. Full sun brings out the deep red coloring. Grow in sphagnum moss with a little sand and leaf mold added. Keep constantly moist. Plant grows to 6 inches and prefers cool temperatures (around 60 degrees). (Arthurs, ED, 1974, p.56) |