carnivorous-plant-propaganda

[carnivorous-plant-propaganda]

I know!!! its so cool!!! even on plants like the corkscrew plant where the insect-catching-bits look like roots, they're still leaves!! Also, I have no idea why, but pictures of tiny little sundews with their flowers will always be so funny to me. Like,

bro, what are you doing?? that flower is the size of an entire other you!! that's so silly to me.

I just realized I haven't actually told all of you the wonderful variety that carnivorous plants can have! So many different styles and methods of catching their prey!!!

First, pitcher plants

They can come in all different shapes and sizes, but their goal is mostly all the same; attract insects by one method or another, get them to fall into the pitcher fluid, and extract the nutrients inside.

Sundews

have a lot of variety in the shape of their petioles (the leaf like structures with the sticky droplets on them) but most function essentially the same, attract bug, get bug stuck on the sticky glue on the ends of the many small hairs on the petioles, then excrete digestive fluid to extract the nutrients.

Venus flytrap

are the only species in its genus, so from standard plants there isn't much variety, but there are breeders out there who've made some weird looking plants if you're interested in looking it up.

These beauties have trigger hairs on the inside of each of the lobes of the trap, and if multiple trigger hairs are pressed within a few seconds of each other or the same hair is pressed twice, the trap closes, trapping the bug inside. then, digestive fluids are excreted, nutrients are extracted, and the trap re-opens to allow the insect carcass fall out or fly away in the wind.

There are many more kinds of carnivorous plants I'm excited to talk about one day, but in essence the goal of them all is to

-attract an insect

-capture the insect

-extract the nutrients from the insect

:)

[carnivorous-plant-propaganda]

I just realized I haven't actually told all of you the wonderful variety that carnivorous plants can have! So many different styles and methods of catching their prey!!!

First, pitcher plants

They can come in all different shapes and sizes, but their goal is mostly all the same; attract insects by one method or another, get them to fall into the pitcher fluid, and extract the nutrients inside.

Sundews

have a lot of variety in the shape of their petioles (the leaf like structures with the sticky droplets on them) but most function essentially the same, attract bug, get bug stuck on the sticky glue on the ends of the many small hairs on the petioles, then excrete digestive fluid to extract the nutrients.

Venus flytrap

are the only species in its genus, so from standard plants there isn't much variety, but there are breeders out there who've made some weird looking plants if you're interested in looking it up.

These beauties have trigger hairs on the inside of each of the lobes of the trap, and if multiple trigger hairs are pressed within a few seconds of each other or the same hair is pressed twice, the trap closes, trapping the bug inside. then, digestive fluids are excreted, nutrients are extracted, and the trap re-opens to allow the insect carcass fall out or fly away in the wind.

There are many more kinds of carnivorous plants I'm excited to talk about one day, but in essence the goal of them all is to

-attract an insect

-capture the insect

-extract the nutrients from the insect

:)

[carnivorous-plant-propaganda]

Options for carnivorous plants that aren't just Venus flytrap, because as cool as they are, there's so many more options! :))))

Part 2: Drosera, or Sundew!!

While some are more picky than others, there are Drosera species native to 12 U.S. states including Alaska and Hawaii, Southern Europe, and even Japan. There is even a type called Wooly Sundews that live in Australia!

Sundews range in size from less than an inch wide

to larger branching leaves

to spikes 2 feet tall!

Considering this truly astonishing range of sizes and shapes, surely there's a Drosera for you out there!

[carnivorous-plant-propaganda]

Options for carnivorous plants that aren't just Venus flytrap, because as cool as they are, there's so many more options! :))))

Part 1, Sarracenia, or Trumpet Pitchers!!!!!

They are very hardy and if you live in the United States there's a pretty good chance you can find species native to your region!

They grow up to 2 feet tall, so growing them outside is an excellent option

They are absolutely beautiful, and no matter what color you want for your garden there's a pitcher for you!

there's red,

orange,

yellow,

green,

purple,

and even black and white!!

this has been a carnivorous plant propaganda post! have a nice day!!!

[carnivorous-plant-propaganda]

No room for a pet? Allergic to fur? Bored of normal plants the just sit there? I have a solution for you!

Carnivorous plants!!!

So, you might be asking yourself, I'm interested. Why should I get a carnivorous plant?

-Once you've got them all set, they're very easy to care for!

-Reduce bug population in your house if you grow them inside

-You can grow then inside or outside depending on your climate

-they're really fascinating

Get one!! they're so cool!