Insectivorous plantsare unique representatives of flora - they feed on insects and are equipped with special mechanisms to attract and capture them. Despite the high cultivation requirements, many people try their hand at breeding these useful and decorative plants. We present the most popularinsectivorous house plants , often found in potted cultivation, such as the American flycatcher, pitcher, sundew and capricorn.
Insectivorous domestic plants - flycatcher and capricorn beetle
Fig. depositphotos.com
Insectivorous plantsfeed on various insects and even small animals.In nature, there are over 600 species of predatory plants - mainly in tropical regions of America, Asia, Africa and Australia. In the process of evolution, they adapted to environmental conditions and began to catch and digest living organisms to obtain nutrients. They are equipped with traps to lure their prey with sweet nectar or a pleasant smell.
The most commonspecies of insectivorous plants found in house cropsare: sundew, flycatcher, pitcher plant and capricorn.
Household insectivorous plants - sundew
Rosiczka(Drosera) is a genus of plants belonging to the family of sundews (Droseraceae). It includes about 150 species found on almost all continents except Antarctica. The natural habitat of sundew is barren peat bogs.
Sundews are the most popular insectivorous house plantsThese predatory plants grow up to 10 cm in height, and their shoots do not exceed 30 cm in length.White or red flowers form spiky inflorescences. Depending on the varietysundews bloom from March to August
Round-leaf sundew - Drosera rotundifolia
Fig. depositphotos.com
The leaves of the sundew form a dense rosette or loose clumpsThey can be from one to several centimeters long. Their upper surface is covered with brightly colored cilia that secrete droplets of sticky liquid to attract prey. After capturing the creature, the edges of the leaf close around it. The enzymes in the liquid produced by the cilia are responsible for the digestion of the victim.
Sundews grow bestin acidic, permeable and constantly moist soil. They prefer a bright position, but not directly exposed to sunlight, and an ambient temperature of 18-25 ° C, and in winter much lower, ranging from 8-12 ° C.
American Venus flytrap - Dionaea muscipula
Photo. pixabay.com
Household insectivorous plants - American Venus flytrap
The Venus flytrap(Dionaea muscipula) belongs to the family of sundews (Droseraceae) and is closely related to the aforementioned sundew. In the wild, the American flycatcher is found only in the swamps of North and South Carolina.
It isa small insectivorous plant(only 10 cm tall), sometimes with a creeping habit. Forms a rosette of leaves growing out of a strongly shortened, bulbous rhizome. Its trap consists of two shell-shaped halves with long hairs at the edges. At the center of each half are microscopic hairs that generate an electrical signal.
American Venus flytrap - Dionaea muscipula
Photo. pixabay.com
The victim of this insectivorous plant is luredby the bright interior of an open trap. If it touches the hairs twice in a short time, an active sap movement begins inside the plant and the trap snaps shut in a split second, locking the victim inside.Digestion takes about 2 weeks, after which the trap opens again.
Venus flytrap blooms in springproducing very nice snow-white flowers on long stalks. Flowering is very exhausting for the plant and flowers should only be left when you want to get the seeds.
Venus flytrap,bred as a domestic insectivorous plant , comes in many varieties with different colors and the size of the traps.
Venus flytrap - a latched trap with an insect inside
Fig. Jan Rehschuh, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Venus flytrap requires an acidic substrate with a pH of 3.5 - 4.5.Soil for growing a flycatchershould be low in nutrients and constantly moist. For watering, we use soft and decayed water, preferably rainwater. Flycatcher requires a lot of sunlight to function properly. When there is not enough light, this insect-eating plant does not open its traps.The best temperature for her is the room temperature and a quiet, draft-free position.
We do not use traditional fertilizers for plants in the home cultivation of the flycatcher . If we want to feed her, provide her with a live spider, fly or mosquito. Although the plant should do well without our help.
Household insectivorous plants - Nepenthes
Nepenthes is a climber which in nature can reach several dozen meters in length.In pot cultivation, the pitchersreach a length of 2 m and can be grown with supports or in hanging pots. About 130 species of Nepenthes are known, mainly found in Southeast Asia.
Nepenthes - Nepenthes
Photo. depositphotos.com
This speciesenchants with decorative traps in the shape of elongated jugsthat emit sweet nectar. The jugs look like huge flowers covered with mosaic patterns in a variety of bright shades of red, white and green.
The inside of the jug is partially filled with liquidcontaining digestive enzymes. Once inside, a caught insect cannot get out. The nectar is secreted at the top of the jug, next to the lid, on a special rim. When it rains, the banks become covered with a thin, slippery layer. In addition, the jug itself is covered with a wax layer on the inside, which prevents the victim from escaping. Inside, the insects are held in place by sharp hairs. This digestion process takes up to five days. Each jug fulfills its function for approximately 1 month.Ants are the main delicacy of pitchers in nature
Nepenthes - Nepenthes
Photo. pixabay.com
Nepenthes need a moist and acidic substrate(pH 3.5 - 5.0). The site must be full of diffused light and quiet. The ambient temperature must not fall below 15 ° C. The water for drenching these insectivorous plants should be soft and free of calcium.We fertilize the plant in the cold season when there are no insects by diluting the orchid fertilizer three times. Fertilizers should only be used for watering mature specimens. Although pitcher plants develop best in terrariums, you can already findvarieties adapted to growing in apartments
Household insectivorous plants - capricorn beetle
Kapturnica(Sarracenia) is often found in nature in North America and Asia. There are a large number of species of the genus catfish. Their leaves grow together in the shape of tall jugs, reaching up to 100 cm in height. Beautifully colored, they are an unusual decoration. Insects, attracted by the smell, get inside and can no longer get out of the liquid full of digestive enzymes.These insectivorous plants are also decorated with large flowers on long petioles that appear in spring.
Kapturnica - Sarracenia
Fig. depositphotos.com
Kapturnice grow bestin a substrate that is a mixture of peat, sand and leaf earth in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. They prefer a bright position and an ambient temperature of 18-23 ° C. In winter, they should be provided with a much lower temperature in the range of 4-10 ° C. Water the plants by pouring soft water into the saucer. The daily air humidity in our homes (40-70%) is absolutely sufficient for cap sockets.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
