Carnivorous Plants
Heliamphora heterodoxa
Heliamphora heterodoxa is a tropical pitcher plant native to Venezuela and Guyana, known for its yellow-green urn-shaped pitchers and red nectar spoons. It grows in upland wetlands and lower elevation habitats, tolerating slightly higher temperatures. This plant is ideal for terrariums and cool greenhouses.
Drosera hamiltonii
Drosera hamiltonii is a small, compact carnivorous plant native to coastal swamps in southwestern Australia. It features glandular leaves and pink flowers, preferring sunny spots with consistently moist, sandy-peaty soil. This plant is unique for its fused styles and requires high humidity.
Drosera binata 'Multifida Extrema'
Drosera binata 'Multifida Extrema' is a carnivorous plant with dewy fronds that catch flying pests. It thrives in full sun or bright lighting and requires water from rain, reverse osmosis, or distilled sources. This sundew is a fascinating addition to any carnivorous plant collection.
Nepenthes northiana
Nepenthes northiana is a lithophyte native to the limestone rock walls of Borneo, often regarded as one of the most beautiful Nepenthes species. It requires consistent warm temperatures and high humidity, making it a challenging plant to cultivate. This climbing plant can grow up to 10 meters long and features large, ovoid pitchers with greenish-white and red blotches. It is endemic to Borneo and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to its restricted habitat.
Nepenthes sanguinea
Nepenthes sanguinea is a robust carnivorous pitcher plant native to Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand. It thrives at highland and intermediate elevations, producing large, colorful traps that can reach up to 12 inches in height. This plant is heat tolerant and suitable for growing in open or shaded conditions.
Utricularia inflata
Utricularia inflata is a suspended aquatic carnivorous plant native to the southeastern United States. Known for its distinctive radial floats and multiple traps, it grows in boggy waters without roots. The plant produces bright yellow flowers from May to November and is cultivated by enthusiasts for its unique characteristics. However, it can be invasive, altering sediment chemistry and shading out native flora.
Drosera occidentalis
Drosera occidentalis is a carnivorous plant endemic to Western Australia, found in wetlands between Perth and Pinjarra. It has the smallest leaf-blades of any Drosera species, measuring just 1 millimeter in diameter. This unique plant is adapted to its specialized habitat.
Sarracenia 'Juthatip Soper'
Sarracenia 'Juthatip Soper' is a hardy temperate plant known for its pitchers mottled in whites, reds, and pinks. Bred by Mathew Soper, it grows in boggy, open savannas in the southeastern United States. This plant can withstand cold fronts down to 15°F and is well-suited for backyard bog gardens. It produces fragrant dark red flowers in early spring and forms large colonies with vigorous fall pitchers.
Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a highland tropical plant native to Java and Sumatra, known for its dark coloration and pitcher-like structures. It grows at altitudes ranging from 600 to 2,800 meters and thrives in humid environments. This plant is part of a taxonomic debate with related species and is appreciated for its unique appearance and adaptability to highland conditions.
Nepenthes glandulifera
Nepenthes glandulifera is a carnivorous tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Hose Mountains of Sarawak. It is known for its black nectar glands that produce a sweet fragrance and its large red pitchers with dark speckles. This plant thrives in highland conditions and is suitable for terrariums or greenhouses.
Utricularia blanchetii
Utricularia blanchetii is a perennial bladderwort with small, narrow leaves and tiny bladder traps for catching small critters. It produces lilac-colored flowers with dark purple tops and bright yellow throats in spring and fall. This plant prefers sandy peat that is constantly moist and is ideal for terrariums and greenhouses.
Drosera barbigera 'Giant Form'
Drosera barbigera 'Giant Form' is a captivating carnivorous plant from Australia, known as a Pygmy sundew. Despite its tiny size, it requires full sun or bright light to thrive. This plant has special water needs, preferring rain, reverse osmosis, or distilled water, and should not dry out for more than a day. Its unique adaptation allows it to capture and digest insects, making it an intriguing addition to any plant collection. The sundew's sticky, glandular leaves are both functional and visually interesting. It's a fascinating choice for those interested in carnivorous plants.
Drosera prolifera
Drosera prolifera, commonly known as the 'hens and chicks' sundew, is a carnivorous plant native to Queensland, Australia. It is notable for its asexual reproduction, forming new plantlets along its stem. This sundew thrives in humid environments and is often found in its native wetland habitats. Its unique reproductive strategy and carnivorous nature make it an interesting plant for enthusiasts of unusual flora.
Dionaea muscipula 'Australian Red Rosette'
Dionaea muscipula 'Australian Red Rosette' is a Venus flytrap variety known for its red traps and long teeth. It requires full sun or bright light and special soil conditions, using rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water. This carnivorous plant needs a winter dormancy period to thrive.
Nepenthes 'Lady Luck'
Nepenthes 'Lady Luck' is a robust carnivorous plant known for its deep blood-red pitchers that easily form in low light. This hybrid thrives in both lowland and highland tropical conditions, making it suitable for windowsills or terrariums. It tolerates wet conditions and is ideal for beginners due to its vigorous growth and wide temperature tolerance.
Sarracenia moorei
Sarracenia moorei is a tall, erect hybrid pitcher plant with orangey-yellow and green tubes and a reddish hood. It is slightly fragrant and blooms in early spring with yellowy-orange flowers. This plant is well-suited for backyard bog gardens and is hardy to zone 4.
Nepenthes ventricosa
Nepenthes ventricosa is a hardy and adaptable carnivorous plant native to the Philippines, known for its waisted, waxy pitchers that range from ivory white to red. It thrives in a variety of conditions, including lowland, intermediate, and highland environments, making it beginner-friendly. This plant is excellent at catching large insects and can be grown indoors or outdoors in warm weather.
Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Aldrovanda vesiculosa is a unique carnivorous plant, the only extant species in its genus, known for capturing small aquatic invertebrates with its rapid-moving traps. These traps are arranged in whorls around a central, free-floating stem, resembling wide-mouth clams. This rootless aquatic plant thrives in warm, shallow, peaty waters and is considered a living fossil due to its monotypic status. It reproduces vegetatively and is intolerant of habitat degradation, making it a rare and fascinating species.
Drosera paleacea 'Cranbrook'
Drosera paleacea 'Cranbrook' is a tiny Australian pygmy sundew that requires full sun or bright light. It has special water needs, preferring rain, RO, or distilled water, and should not dry out for more than a day. This carnivorous plant is a unique addition to any collection.
Drosera capensis 'Alba'
Drosera capensis 'Alba' is a medium-sized carnivorous plant native to the Cape region of South Africa. It features long strap-like leaves with red tentacles and lime green appearance, producing white flowers on tall scapes. This plant thrives in open, sunny, boggy conditions and is an excellent choice for terrariums.
Pinguicula agnata 'True Blue'
Pinguicula agnata 'True Blue' is a cultivar of butterwort known for its large broad leaves and blue flowers. This carnivorous plant has thick, succulent leaves that capture insects in summer, while its leaves become smaller in winter. It prefers damp, loose, alkaline soils and thrives in partial shade with warm, wet summers and cool, dry winters. Native to limestone mountains in Mexico, it is an easy-to-grow houseplant suitable for window sills and greenhouses.
Utricularia purpurea
Utricularia purpurea is a medium-sized aquatic carnivorous plant native to North and Central America. It features bright purple flowers in summer and grows suspended in boggy waters without roots. The plant has finely divided leaves with small bladders that trap tiny aquatic organisms. Unlike other carnivorous plants, it may rely more on mutualistic interactions. It prefers tannin-rich, dark waters and forms turions in cooler temperatures. Its unique carnivorous nature and vibrant flowers make it a fascinating addition to aquatic gardens.
Dionaea muscipula 'B52'
Dionaea muscipula 'B52' is a Venus flytrap cultivar known for its extremely large traps and vigorous growth. The traps can exceed 1.5 inches and develop a deep red color in good light. This plant requires a winter dormancy period and thrives in bright indoor light or full sun outdoors, making it suitable for bog gardens, greenhouses, or terrariums.
Drosera paleacea
Drosera paleacea is a pygmy sundew species native to the peaty wetlands of Southwestern Australia. It features orangey-red to red leaves in a dense rosette and produces small, fragrant white flowers in mid-summer. This carnivorous plant thrives in sunny, humid conditions with sandy-peat soil, making it a fascinating addition to any collection of exotic plants.
Sarracenia 'Bug Bat'
Sarracenia 'Bug Bat' is a striking carnivorous plant known for its tall, copper-colored pitchers and reddish hoods. It features narrow trap tops with red and white coloration, distinctive veining, and white areoles. This plant forms dense colonies and thrives in open, sunny boggy conditions, maintaining its color even into frost. It produces dark red, fragrant flowers mid-season and is a complex hybrid of Sarracenia alata, psittacina, and minor Okee. The plant can grow up to 16 inches tall and prefers slightly moist soil without chemical fertilizers. It is suitable for bog gardens, greenhouses, and indoor environments.
Sarracenia catesbaei
Sarracenia catesbaei is a carnivorous plant with red veins and bright green coloration, growing up to 18 inches tall. It requires moist to wet soil and at least 5 hours of direct sun, making it a unique addition to bog gardens.
Utricularia vulgaris
Utricularia vulgaris is a fascinating aquatic bladderwort known for its free-floating nature and lack of roots. This medium-sized perennial features finely divided leaves with numerous bladders and bright yellow flowers that bloom from April to August. It thrives in dark, tannin-rich waters and forms turions to survive winter. While it can be invasive in warm climates, it is related to U. macrorhiza found in eastern Asia and North America.
Brocchinia reducta
Brocchinia reducta is a carnivorous bromeliad native to the cool Tepuis of Northeastern South America. It grows in nutrient-poor, high moisture soil and features a funnel-like structure with a waxy coating that attracts insects. The plant emits a sweet odor to lure prey and has leaves that form a water-storing cup to trap insects.
Drosera pygmaea 'New Zealand'
Drosera pygmaea 'New Zealand' is a carnivorous plant native to Western Australia, thriving in sunny locations. It has special water needs, requiring distilled, reverse osmosis, or rainwater, making it a unique addition to carnivorous plant collections.