Carnivorous plants: types, care and how to decorate with them

The carnivorous plants They are fascinating because of their peculiar way of feeding, the result of a process of adaptation to habitats and environmental conditions where they cannot find the nutrients they need to live, generally nutrient-poor environments such as bogs, swamps, and other wetlands, although some species of carnivorous plants can also thrive in drier areas.

What do carnivorous plants eat?

carnivorous plants obtain nutrients by capturing and digesting small animals, usually insects and other arthropods. Their carnivorous behavior has been developed as a way of supplement your nutrient intake in environments where the soil lacks essential nutrients such as nitrogen or phosphorus.

carnivorous plants have various mechanisms to catch and digest their prey, such as hairs or glands where insects get stuck or leaves that close and trap them. In this video you can see how they do it:

Once they have captured the insect, carnivorous plants produce enzymes or other digestive fluids to break them down and extract the nutrients they need, such as nitrogen, phosphorus or minerals.

What are the most common carnivorous plants?

Although they can be found in various parts of the world, carnivorous plants are most diverse in those areas with a high degree of humidity and many insects. In Spain you can find some spices of this type of plant, such as:

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sundew or sundew (sundew rotundifolia), a small plant that can be found in wetlands throughout Spain. Its rounded leaves are covered with small red tentacles or hairs that secrete a sticky substance (mucilage) that traps insects. It can be grown in plastic pots, alone or with other carnivorous plants.

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grease (pinguicula vulgaris), also called tiraña. It is a perennial carnivorous plant that traps its prey with the mucilage that covers its green leaves. Its flower is deep purple in color and grows on a stem that can reach 10 centimeters. grows on cold and wet places.

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Flytrap or flytrap plant (Drosophyllum lusitanicum), a carnivorous plant resembling a small shrub with green leaves covered in red-tipped sticky glands for capturing prey. It is also known as dew pine and its yellow flowers sprout in spring on a stem of about 40 centimeters. Unlike other carnivorous plants, it lives in very dry soils, in the herriza or heather Mediterranean of the southwest of the Iberian peninsula and northwestern tip of Africa.

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common lentibularia (Utricularia australis) is a aquatic carnivorous plant that can be found in various parts of Spain. It is very small and floats on the surface of fresh water, where it can be seen when its yellow flowers bloom (in spring and summer). It is its leaves that suck in small aquatic organisms and turn it into an underwater predator.

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Apart from these native plants, more and more species originating from other places are found in plant stores, such as the venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), perhaps the most popular carnivorous plant, with leaves that close to capture their prey.

carnivorous plants: care at home

Each species of carnivorous plant requires specific carebut in general, the care of this type of plants is not much more complicated than that of others.

Should we give insects to carnivorous plants?

It is not usually necessary to provide them with insects, since they will catch their own prey on their own.

How often do they have to be watered?

The most important thing when caring for a carnivorous plant is keep moist. It is convenient to water them with rain or distilled water, since tap water may contain minerals that damage them. The best is water carnivorous plants from belowthat is, placing the pots in a container with water so that the roots absorb it.

How much light do they need?

Most carnivorous plants need a indirect lightas intense and direct sunlight can damage its leaves.

Is the substrate for carnivorous plants special?

As for the soil, common potting soil should be avoided because it is often too rich in nutrients. You can use a well-draining acid soil mix or a specific soil for carnivorous plants and they do not need fertilizers, as they are used to soils with few nutrients.

Any other warning when caring for a carnivorous plant?

It is important do not touch its leavesas they could be damaged.

where to put carnivorous plants

The striking colors of carnivorous plants They make them ideal for decorating gardens or interior spaces, as long as proper care is followed.

In gardens, carnivorous plants can help control pests of small insects.Inside, they can grown in pots or glass terrariumswhere various species can be mixed. Some carnivorous plants (such as Lentibularia) can also be grown in ponds, in aquariums or in small containers filled with distilled water.