Carnivorous Plant Site

: Do not use standard potting soil or fertilizer. They need a nutrient-poor mix, usually sphagnum peat moss and perlite .

: The Venus Flytrap is the poster child for this group. It uses sensitive "trigger hairs" to detect movement. When an insect touches two hairs in quick succession, the leaf snaps shut in less than a second. carnivorous plant

: Never use tap water; the minerals will kill them. Use only rainwater, distilled water, or deionized water . : Do not use standard potting soil or fertilizer

There are over 600 species of carnivorous plants, but they generally fall into three main categories based on how they catch their prey: It uses sensitive "trigger hairs" to detect movement

: Pitcher plants (like Sarracenia ) use a deep, slippery cavity filled with digestive enzymes. Insects are lured by nectar, slip on the rim, and fall to their doom.

Most carnivorous plants live in bogs or wetlands where the soil is acidic and almost entirely lacks nitrogen and phosphorus. To compensate, they have adapted to "eat" bugs to get the nutrients they can't find in the ground ( Kew Gardens ). Meet the Predators

: Most need to sit in a tray of water constantly to mimic their native boggy homes.