Guest Author - Sheri Ann Richerson

Halloween is just around the corner and many plant enthusiasts’ are looking for a great way to tie their hobby into the holiday season. What better way to do this than by growing carnivorous plants? We’ve all heard about plants that eats humans, right? We might have even seen the movie The Little Shop of Horrors. So now, let’s find out more about carnivorous plants.

The Pitcher Plant, as it is commonly called belongs to three different families of flowering plants that use their pitcher shaped leaves to trap insects. The pitchers produce a sweet nectar on the top of the plant to attract insects. The insides of the pitchers are lined with downward-pointing hairs that are used to prevent the insect from escaping once it is in the pitcher. Juices that are contained in the bottom of the leaf eventually digest the insect.

The three families of pitcher plants are the Sarraceniaceae, Nepenthaceae, and Cephalotaceae. These plants need to be grown in bogs or bog like conditions to thrive.

There are many different types and sizes of pitcher plants out there. The fascination of these native perennials seems to continue even after you’ve successfully grown them. Could it be their unique flowers, their foliage, or maybe just the ability to rid the world of an overabundance of insects?
The Cephalotus grows pitchers that are about 2 1/2” long. This pitcher plant is one of the more difficult ones to grow. The roots of Cephalotus must have plenty of room to grow, or it is sure to die.

The Darlingtonia, or Cobra Lily as it is commonly called, has only one species, the californica. This particular plant is native to California and Oregon and prefers to grow in bogs with running water. This plant is commonly seen in garden centers along side the Venus Fly Trap.

The Nepenthes grows the largest pitchers. The pitchers have two different ways of trapping insects. One way is by trapping the insects in their hairs. Some of the larger pitchers don’t have hairs and they trap their prey by producing a slick, waxy surface on the interior of their pitcher that insects can’t climb up once they are in the pitcher.

Sarraceniaceae, Nepenthaceae, and Cephalotaceae can be grown from seed or purchased as plants. There are varieties of carnivorous plants that are hardy and there are varieties that are tropical.

The first step in preparing to grow these unusual plants is to prepare your bog garden or aquarium if you will be growing these plants indoors. Remember that these plants require constant moisture, higher levels of humidity and do not like to be fertilized. All three can be grown in cultivation, make excellent conversation starters and might even make the ghouls and goblins in your neighborhood think twice before they try any Halloween tricks this year!