Many people recognise the name Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) – it’s one of the most common and best known carnivorous plants, but there’s a whole world of carnivorous plants out there that we’d love to share with you. This group of plants, characterised by their requirement to gain To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key plant nutrients usually derived from soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are absorbed from the air. Other vital soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough nutrients to promote healthy plant growth.
Many hardy carnivorous plants are easy to grow. They need sunshine and rainwater to thrive. We’ve found that growing plants together in larger containers helps reduce the amount of watering we need to do. If you’d like to create your own (‘little pot of horrors’) by planting a selection together in a pot, choose a deep saucer for your container so that it can sit in water all the time. We also grow collections of these plants in a trough (‘the trough of terror’), which has drainage holes on the side, and there is always a reservoir of water that the plants can access. Old-fashioned Belfast sinks (‘the sink of gloom’) make a great patio feature when planted up with carnivorous plants.
Wondering what to grow?
The Venus flytrap can withstand a little frost. Seed-grown varieties do well outside.
North American pitcher plants (Sarracenia) are hardy and look stunning in any display. Once they are mature enough they will flower in spring – a gorgeous sight – and then they will start producing pitchers.
Sundews (Drosera) are found all over the world, in different climates, so make sure you select one that will grow where you live. In the UK, Drosera intermedia, anglica and rotundifolia are native, while D. dichotoma, D. binata and D. filiformis are hardy and available.
Most butterworts (Pinguicula) are not hardy in the UK though P. grandiflora and vulgaris are A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since.
Last, but not least, is the cobra lily (Darlingtonia californica), which likes full sun or semi shade, and will withstand hard frosts.
Wack’s Wicked Plants
www.wackswickedplants.co.uk | 07530 176624
