Carnivorous plants (carnivores) are a fairly diverse group that have evolved to survive in nutrient-poor wetlands and use a variety of methods to capture and consume insects and spiders. Breeding them can be quite easy if you provide them with the right environment. So, in this article, you will learn what care carnivorous plants need to thrive!
What is the lifestyle of carnivores?
Carnivores are very special plants that obtain important nutrients for their growth, such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphate, by catching and eating various microorganisms. Scientist Charles Darwin discussed this species in his 1876 book “Insectivorous Plants” and viewed this form of ecological adaptation as evidence for his theory of evolution.
Carnivorous plants are found all over the world, including Europe, and some species can even be grown as houseplants. Different butterwort species (Pinguicula) and sundew species (Drosera) are common in Germany.
Carnivores as houseplants – What care carnivorous plants need
Carnivorous plants are not easy to grow as houseplants and you should be familiar with their requirements. The most important factors to consider are plenty of moisture and light, soil and water - which do not contain minerals, and the right temperature. We will now look at each of these factors individually.
Lots of moisture and light
moisture: In order to breed healthy carnivorous plants, it's important to recreate their habitat as closely as possible - and they come from nutrient-poor bogs and the like. Therefore, the plants need constantly moist conditions. The easiest way to keep the soil constantly wet or at least moist is so-called bottom watering (watering the plants from below). How does this work? Place the pots in a container or saucer that you fill with water regularly so that there is always a layer of water in them. This will avoid washing away the sticky muscle of the sundew and butterwort plants and prevent the fly traps from closing on a false alarm.
Licht: Carnivorous plants generally grow best in sunny environments, but many also thrive in partial sun. So, any windowsill is suitable. Carnivores also thrive under artificial light, with a timer set to 12-14 hours. Fluorescent lights designed for plant growth work better than simple incandescent bulbs.
Earth and water that do not contain minerals
Water: As you already know, carnivorous plants grow in nutrient-poor soil, so the minerals in the water can stress the plants. Therefore, always use mineral-free water – such as rainwater or distilled water – to water them. Try placing a bucket near the downspout to catch rainwater, and distilled water can be purchased at the supermarket.
- Tipp: Tap water will work if necessary, but you should mix it with plenty of rainwater if possible.
Earth: The nutrient-poor soils to which the carnivorous plants have adapted are often rich in peat and sand. You can recreate this with a soil mix of sphagnum peat moss and garden sand. Make sure the peat label says sphagnum moss because other types don't work well. The sand should be clean and washed. The ratio of the mixture is not crucial, 1 part peat and 1 part sand works well for most carnivorous plants.
Avoid building sand that contains fine dust, clay and other minerals. Never use beach sand or limestone-based sand. The salt content will harm the plants.
- Tipp: Use plastic pots as terracotta pots leach minerals over time and stress your plants.
Care for Carnivorous Plants – Temperature
Carnivorous plants are generally temperature tolerant and this can vary to some extent without causing any adverse effects. However, keep in mind that most species thrive best at normal room temperatures (20 and 22°C).
Other factors to consider – feeding and fertilizing
Feed: Under the conditions described in this carnivorous plant care guide, carnivores will be able to collect enough insects on their own to thrive. Most of them only need one or two insects per month to grow well. So, breed them so that they have natural access to insect prey. Otherwise, frozen insects from the pet store can also become an excellent source of food.
However, be careful that carnivorous plants grown without additional insect food do not develop well.
Fertilize: Some experienced gardeners have had success with fertilizers. However, this is not recommended for beginners. It is very easy to over-fertilize and burn carnivores. We therefore advise you to avoid fertilizing.
Undemanding houseplants for south-facing windows – which species can tolerate a lot of sun?You can find out here!
