# My carnivorous plants



## Benurmanii (Feb 23, 2017)

Decided I'm going to make a thread for just my carnivorous plants, but also be a thread for those who have questions about the plants I grow, or anything general about carnivorous plants others are wondering about.

Here are some quick, lazy pics of my indoor grow setups, plus some Nepenthes seedlings, Pinguicula cubensis, and G. lobata x flexuosa being propagated underwater via flower stalk.

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## HybridReplicate (Feb 23, 2017)

_Killer_ collection.  What/how do you feed them? I secretly hope it involves releasing insects into the enclosure to be lured by the plants. Do you not keep flytraps or are they just over wintering? 

I had a fascination with & kept carnivorous plants as a kid, but entirely forgot about these wonderful little creatures. I'm suddenly inspired to create a bog terrarium to grow a small variety. Any specific recommendation of plants that have similar requirements that could be grown together in an enclosure? Any experience with LED grow lights? I have a 600w MH grow light that' s sitting in storage but won't exactly need that unless I suffer a sudden proliferation of plants.


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## Benurmanii (Feb 23, 2017)

Thanks! The only thing I feed my plants is liquid orchid fertilizer. The outdoor stuff (Venus Fly Traps, Sarracenia, temperate Drosera, and stuff that goes outdoors for part of the spring and/or summer), they all catch their own food. During the height of summer, my VFTs will only have a few traps open at time, because all the others are digesting prey.

I keep my VFTS outdoors year-round, I got some non-detailed pics I will post soon. Drosera (Sundews), I believe, are the best candidates for terrarium life; many of the readily available species in the US dont mind undrained media, and are not generally demanding. Of course, you can grow more stuff in terrarium if you don't plan to make it a planted terrarium. That light is super strong, and should support many varieties of different carnivorous plants, being that the vast majority have high light requirements.

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## Benurmanii (Feb 23, 2017)

Here are the pics of the outdoor stuff. Pretty much everything pictured is currently dormant. All the stuff on the table is kept outdoors year round, except for one large pot that currently looks like just a bunch of moss. In there is P. chilensis, which is a cold temperate species of Pinguicula that I keep outdoors fall-spring. The box with a mesh lid is an enclosure I made to keep the hibernacula-forming cold temperate Pinguicula in, as the hibernacula and gemmae they produce are designed to be popped about and dispersed by rains. Of course, I want to keep them in their pots! All the cold temperate Pinguicula will be moved inside during the summer, as I can't seem to grow them well outside once it gets into the high 80s. Of course, I may have better success if I used a shade cloth during the heat, but I go full sun or go home

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## Benurmanii (Feb 26, 2017)

The D. latifolia that was my profile pic last year is now flowering!



H. heterodoxa x minor


P. kondoi (a.k.a. reticulata)


D. spatulata x ultramafica (or perhaps the other way around)


B. filifolia x guehoi


D. multifida f. extrema can get pretty out of hand


P. lusitanica

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## schmiggle (Feb 26, 2017)

Gorgeous as aways, and very impressive. I love your byblis--are you planning to collect seed (given that they're annual)?


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## Benurmanii (Feb 26, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Gorgeous as aways, and very impressive. I love your byblis--are you planning to collect seed (given that they're annual)?


Thanks for the compliments!

I managed to kill off my B. liniflora before it lived a year, I believe this was due to a combination of things, too small of a pot with 20+ plants in it, way too low of temps (it would not produce seed because of this, even the last flower on my P. lusitanica plants failed to produce seed due to low temps), so I'll have to hope that the seeds of B. liniflora I got about 2 months ago germinate soon. Most of my Byblis are B. guehoi, and I do have multiple clones of those (need different clones to get seeds), but again, despite getting lots of pollen, no seeds were ever produced. So unless they all happen to somehow be the same clone, I will need to wait till late spring or summer to get seeds. Fortunately, I have sources for B. guehoi, so if I lose some before temps get warm, I can purchase some more and try again. The pictured Byblis hybrid never seems to really open its flowers, so I don't know if I'll attempt pollinating it.

Sorry for that rant, heheh, my troubles with my lack of Byblis seed has been one of my vices as grower.


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## schmiggle (Feb 26, 2017)

No rant, all sensible. I read for certain annual sundews that if they don't dry out they can live to be at least biennial, not sure about byblis.


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## Benurmanii (Feb 26, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> No rant, all sensible. I read for certain annual sundews that if they don't dry out they can live to be at least biennial, not sure about byblis.


I think Byblis tend to stick well to their annual clocks, but I believe they can live a little longer than a year if kept warm and wet. Unfortunately for the liniflora, I have only recently set up a grow area that doesn't see nights below the low 60s during winter.


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## Benurmanii (Apr 3, 2017)

Sorry for the second absence. End of the school term is always a bit busy. Anyways, here are a few photos I took over spring break, hope you enjoy them. I even got one of a Phiddipus audax that was hanging out by my temperate Pinguicula (they are too big to get caught, for the while at least).

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## SDCPs (Apr 3, 2017)

Very nice! Is that a regia in the first pic?


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## Benurmanii (Apr 3, 2017)

SDCPs said:


> Very nice! Is that a regia in the first pic?


D. spiralis


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## SDCPs (Apr 3, 2017)

WOW!


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## schmiggle (Apr 3, 2017)

Lovely as always. Are the plants in the third picture _Pinguicula_?


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## Benurmanii (Apr 3, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Lovely as always. Are the plants in the third picture _Pinguicula_?


Yep, P. longifolia, red form.


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## PanzoN88 (Apr 4, 2017)

Benurmanii said:


> Sorry for the second absence. End of the school term is always a bit busy. Anyways, here are a few photos I took over spring break, hope you enjoy them. I even got one of a Phiddipus audax that was hanging out by my temperate Pinguicula (they are too big to get caught, for the while at least).


Seeing these pictures is starting to make me consider trying my luck at working with carnivorous plants.

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## Kodi (Apr 4, 2017)

I'm trying my hand at growing VFTs from seed. Any beginners tips?


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## TheGhostOfAkina (Apr 4, 2017)

What got you into keeping these? I've always enjoyed these types of plants but don't have the ability to keep/take care of them


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## schmiggle (Apr 4, 2017)

TheGhostOfAkina said:


> What got you into keeping these? I've always enjoyed these types of plants but don't have the ability to keep/take care of them


Are you sure? Some of them are remarkably easy. All it takes to grow, say, drosera capensis is some peat/sand soil, constant rain or distilled water to stand in and bright light. If you're growing sarracenia or temperate sundews, the only addition is winter dormancy.


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## Benurmanii (Apr 4, 2017)

Kodi said:


> I'm trying my hand at growing VFTs from seed. Any beginners tips?


First and foremost, don't buy seeds from Amazon or Ebay, the majority of the time they are fake. When growing VFTs from seed, you should sow them on some sort of nutrients free acidic media, either a mix of peat with some sort of aggregate, such as sand or perlite, or just pure long fibered sphagnum moss. Make sure you have _strong lighting._




TheGhostOfAkina said:


> What got you into keeping these? I've always enjoyed these types of plants but don't have the ability to keep/take care of them


I became interested in growing carnivorous plants when I found out nearly all of them are endangered!



schmiggle said:


> Are you sure? Some of them are remarkably easy. All it takes to grow, say, drosera capensis is some peat/sand soil, constant rain or distilled water to stand in and bright light. If you're growing sarracenia or temperate sundews, the only addition is winter dormancy.


Don't forget temperate Pinguicula! (My favorite CPs). I think the main thing that prevents people from caring for CPs is lack of sufficient lighting, a lot of people don't have the money to put towards good fluorescent or LEDS lighting, and a lot of people live in places that don't have much natural lighting.

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## schmiggle (Apr 4, 2017)

Benurmanii said:


> Don't forget temperate Pinguicula! (My favorite CPs). I think the main thing that prevents people from caring for CPs is lack of sufficient lighting, a lot of people don't have the money to put towards good fluorescent or LEDS lighting, and a lot of people live in places that don't have much natural lighting.


Yes, I admit I know nothing about growing Pinguicula, though it sounds like temperate Pinguicula are basically the same as sarracenia. However, the only CP I've ever seen wild were _Pinguicula vulgaris_ on a hill in Iceland, and it was amazing.


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## Benurmanii (Apr 4, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Yes, I admit I know nothing about growing Pinguicula, though it sounds like temperate Pinguicula are basically the same as sarracenia. However, the only CP I've ever seen wild were _Pinguicula vulgaris_ on a hill in Iceland, and it was amazing.


In my opinion, the temperate Pinguicula are the most difficult temperate CP to grow, besides the south American and New Zealand temperate Drosera. The cold temperate Pinguicula do not tolerate high temps very well, and the warm temperates need a cold winter but no prolonged frosts and high humidity during frosts.


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## Benurmanii (Apr 11, 2017)

Pictures of P. hirtiflora, P. megaspilaea, and the seed pod from the cross I made between the two (hopefully it was successful). Also, the flowers of P. primuliflora 'Rose'.

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## Benurmanii (May 13, 2017)

Part 1 of a buttload of pictures taken during the past few weeks

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## Benurmanii (May 13, 2017)

Part 2

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## Benurmanii (May 13, 2017)

Part 3

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## schmiggle (May 13, 2017)

Your pinguiculas are gorgeous--I always found them boring, but I may need to find some! And the sundews are beautiful as well.

A question about D. filiformis (which I think you have in one of your pictures?): mine, instead of growing vertically as it's supposed to, often has the leaves grow at odd angles and fall over. It's otherwise quite healthy: large leaves with plenty of dew. Do you have any experience with a problem of this sort? I think it might be the angle of the lighting.


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## Benurmanii (May 13, 2017)

Mine get full sun but once they are well into the growing season they tend to get more floppy. These are just waking up, so the leaves seem to he more short and stout.


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## keks (May 14, 2017)

Wonderful plants and wonderful pictures . 
I love this plants, and I had some too, but no luck with them.


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## brolloks (May 22, 2017)

Awesome collection! I really need to try and expand my Pinguicula collection, Amazing plants.


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## Xafron (May 22, 2017)

Awesome collection.  I love carnivorous plants, though I've pretty much given up on ever keeping them.  They're beautiful and interesting.


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## brolloks (May 22, 2017)

Xafron said:


> Awesome collection.  I love carnivorous plants, though I've pretty much given up on ever keeping them.  They're beautiful and interesting.


Why have hou given up if I may ask?


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## Xafron (May 22, 2017)

brolloks said:


> Why have hou given up if I may ask?


Most sound like more work than I care to put into them.  There is a local one I think that I could probably grow outside but other than that I doubt I'd try them again.  Tried some years ago and didn't go well.


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## schmiggle (May 22, 2017)

Xafron said:


> Most sound like more work than I care to put into them.  There is a local one I think that I could probably grow outside but other than that I doubt I'd try them again.  Tried some years ago and didn't go well.


Some are really not too bad. For a lot of Drosera and Sarracenia, the only requirements are half and half peat/sand soil, very bright light, and constant standing water, as well as a winter rest. Whereabouts do you live? If it doesn't get cold enough for a winter rest, you can get tropical drosera instead.


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## Xafron (May 22, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Some are really not too bad. For a lot of Drosera and Sarracenia, the only requirements are half and half peat/sand soil, very bright light, and constant standing water, as well as a winter rest. Whereabouts do you live? If it doesn't get cold enough for a winter rest, you can get tropical drosera instead.


Pacific Northwest.  I have a window that gets decent light, but then that is somewhat dependent on the weather which isn't always the most consistent thing up here.  Sand soil?  Is that a thing you buy?


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## schmiggle (May 22, 2017)

Xafron said:


> Pacific Northwest.  I have a window that gets decent light, but then that is somewhat dependent on the weather which isn't always the most consistent thing up here.  Sand soil?  Is that a thing you buy?


Outside is probably your best bet, if you can--the Pacific northwest has a great climate for a variety of species. Where exactly?

I meant soil that is half peat and half sand. I, too, have never heard of sand soil.


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## Xafron (May 22, 2017)

schmiggle said:


> Outside is probably your best bet, if you can--the Pacific northwest has a great climate for a variety of species. Where exactly?
> 
> I meant soil that is half peat and half sand. I, too, have never heard of sand soil.


I'm not far from Portland.  I was actually at a plant fair recently where a guy was selling some.  One of them is native to this region, but I didn't end up buying any.

And ok haha.  So then, two parts peat, one part soil, one part sand...is the kind of soil and sand important?


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## Xafron (May 22, 2017)

Also, are any of these good at catching ants?  The tiny little ones.  Just now occurred to me that I could potentially use these to help control the ants that get into the house.


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## schmiggle (May 22, 2017)

For most cp's you want the substrate to be 50% peat and 50% sand, though there are certainly plenty of exceptions. In Portland you could grow most sarracenia, temperate sundews, and venus flytraps. Cobra lilies grow in the area as well, and it's a climate that would probably be good for cephalotus and roridula, but I wouldn't recommend those to a beginner. Cephalotus is also thought by some to specialize on ants, although this claim has been disputed.

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## brolloks (May 23, 2017)

There are quite a few easy to grow CP's you could grow in your climate @Xafron
As for ant control, I don't know any plant that will completely eliminate your ant problem, you will most likely have to resort to some other means of control.

@Xafron Check out these guys, the are in the Pacific Northwest
https://www.youtube.com/user/SarraceniaNorthwest


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## Benurmanii (May 24, 2017)

@Xafron I live in Portland, Oregon. I will post pictures of the plants I grow outdoors year-round soon.

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## moghue (May 26, 2017)

nice plants. I don't have any luck with these types of plants. I had a sundew that just up and died well at least I thought it did. I see some brand new growth popped up in the last few days. any tips or tricks would be helpful on keep carnivorus planst


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## schmiggle (May 26, 2017)

moghue said:


> nice plants. I don't have any luck with these types of plants. I had a sundew that just up and died well at least I thought it did. I see some brand new growth popped up in the last few days. any tips or tricks would be helpful on keep carnivorus planst


What kind of sundew, and how are you growing it? Lighting, soil, water, temps, feeding, etc.


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