8 Beautiful carnivorous plants you can grow at home

These beautiful plants are the authors of nature’s most ingenious hunting mechanisms: some emanate sweet nectars to attract their victims and others are so beautiful that they dazzle their prey with their bright colors. These killer flowers have inspired various stories, legends and artistic content throughout history. In fact, they even fascinated Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, who dedicated several months to their study and experimentation. Results from it were compiled in the book “Insectivorous Plants” (published in 1875), according to a National Geographic article.

Beautiful, lethal, mysterious and strange… These creatures are mythical and, therefore, in the awesome.club we decided to publish this post where you can find information about the most impressive carnivorous plants. Plus, we have good news: you can grow them in your own home!

The idea of ​​a killer plant sounds as fantastic as the existence of unicorns and dragons. Indeed, in Africa, Central America and Asia, there are ancient legends about huge trees that devoured people. Although real specimens are harmless to humans and hunt in a very different way than the great predators of the animal kingdom, the reality regarding the voracity of these specimens is not far removed from the myths that frightened entire peoples for centuries.

Ernesto Javier Kantún Chan, a botanist specializing in the cultivation of carnivorous plants and a biologist at the Autonomous University of Yucatán, Mexico, said in an interview conducted by awesome.club that these specimens are plant species native to environments with poor substrates, so that, to compensate for the nutritional deficiency and complement photosynthesis, they have developed the ability to capture insects and some small animals, in order to obtain from them the elements they need . This is achieved through traps that are simply modified leaves to attract and capture prey.

There are over 600 species of carnivorous plants in nature. Although each one has unique characteristics, they also have similar characteristics in terms of the way they hunt, which allows us to didactically group them into three large groups: those that secrete substances to attract their prey, those that activate their traps when touched and the type of cup or tunnel.

Kantún says they usually grow in swamps, bushes, rainforests and mountain tops. Most species are found in North America, South America, Central America, Australia and Asia. While some are hermits and require environmental conditions in the most inaccessible environments on the planet (such as the sun vase, which only grows on top of the tepui, more than a thousand meters above the jungle floor), others are simple to find and can even be cultivated at home.

Nothing more to add to this small introduction to the world of these plant hunters, so let’s go to the list of the most beautiful carnivorous plants that can be in your own garden.

All sundews are popularly known as “Dew of the Sun”, due to the shiny drops that cover the surface of their leaves. These small crystals appear to be a product of rain, but they are actually mucilage, a natural glue produced by plants to trap insects. Drosera burmannii is the fastest hunter among its kind: when its victim remains attached to it, its leaves curl up around its body in a matter of seconds to digest it.

In the Middle Ages, alchemists thought that the mucilage of the “Dew of the Sun” was the elixir of life. In the twelfth year, the Italian physician Matthaeus Platearius discovered its healing powers against asthma and bronchitis, according to an article published in El País.

This is an easy-to-grow species native to South Africa. Each of its leaves is covered in trichomes, some of which secrete mucilage to trap its food. This beautiful plant has pink flowers, which open in the morning and close at sunset.

This easy-to-grow plant is typical of temperate climates, so if you’re going to have it at home, it’s best to leave it outdoors. Its leaves form a tunnel to capture insects that are attracted by its sweet nectar and mind-blowing colors.

This cool, temperate climate plant can be found in the great lakes and forests of North America. It is one of the most widely distributed Saracenias due to its simple cultivation and the brightness of its reddish tones. It is the worst hunter of its kind: it is estimated that only 1% of its prey can be digested. However, it is luckier in summer, when the bottom of its jars is filled with rainwater and the small insects that fall inside are drowned.

Her romantic aspect made her worthy of being named after the Greek goddess of love. This plant seasonally bears delicate violet florets that turn pink as they age. It is simple to grow in any season, it just needs enough moisture.

The red color of the blood in its vessels gave the name to the famous French cocktail made with tomato and vodka. This plant of Asian origin grows in environments with a humid and hot climate. It produces an aromatic nectar inside its traps that lures insects to the bottom of its deadly vessels. Nepenthes Bloody Mary does not tolerate the cold well, so in the winter months you should keep it in a warm place.

It is also known as Nepenthes mirabilis. It is a potted marsh type plant, with thick, colorful pots that can vary between red, wine red and pink. Its growth throughout Asia and Australia makes it the most widespread species in the world.

In the wild, the most popular species of all time can only be found in the swampy forests of North Carolina in the United States. This is the famous “Venus Flycatcher”, which evolved from the sticky trap of the “Sun Dew” to develop an ingenious hunting mechanism consisting of leaves in the form of serrated mouths that close to the touch and movement of its prey. .

In the 2013 documentary “Carnivorous Plants”, it is narrated that when Charles Darwin When he was first given this species to study it, he found that its traps were activated within seconds when two of the three fine hairs that were inside its leaves were stimulated by movement. Venus needs a second touch to be sure it has captured an insect and not some foodless object that would cause unnecessary loss of energy. According to the father of evolution, this is the most beautiful plant in the world. What do you think?

Do you think only humans can choose to eat tofu and drink almond milk? Nepenthes ampullaria is a carnivorous plant that has decided to adopt a vegan diet, that is, it has evolved to capture and digest the remains of other plants that fall into the mouth of its glasses. It is also easy to care for, you just need to place it in the garden, to grow under a tree. There will certainly be a party in the fall!

Ernesto Kantún decided to give us some advice to successfully care for voracious and healthy carnivorous plants:

Get your plants at specialized and professional centers who know the care that each species requires. Take care of the water you give your plant. The ones that are full of minerals can be harmful to them. So choose to distilled or rainwater.
Each species is different and requires a specific level of humidity. Investigate your plant’s natural habitat to find out how much water it needs. For example, the “Venus flycatcher” grows in swamps, so its roots must always remain moist. These plant species require too much exposure to light to better express their shapes and colors. However, remember that quantity and quality are not the same: a hot midday sun will only burn your leaves. It is better to expose them to sunlight in the morning. or in the afternoon. Do not play with your plant’s traps. They are not toys! The “Venus flycatcher” requires a lot of energy to close one of its leaves. If one is activated without gaining food benefit, the trap is more likely to die. The care of a carnivorous plant is not similar to that of any other. Each species has specific needs that you should find out about beforehand. Don’t feed them let them hunt alone🇧🇷 The movements of the live insect will stimulate the segregation of your digestive enzymes🇧🇷 Be patient, the development of carnivorous plants can seem slow, but the results are worth it.

“Like many other organisms in the world, climate change and the destruction of their habitat are the main problems faced by these species, many of them illegally extracted from their natural environment, which little by little ends their lives” , says Kantun. He is also the founder of Go and live Green, a special greenhouse for carnivorous plants located in Mérida, Mexico, where you can find dozens of specimens cultivated by specialists. On his Facebook page, there is a community to which you can make all kinds of queries.

Which plant did you like the most? Would you like to have one? Do you know other species that should appear on this list? Don’t hesitate to share your opinion with us in the comments section.