Carnivorous plants suitable for housekeeping

Carnivorous plants, or predator plants, obey the great law of Nature's movement-they are fighting for survival. Observing the silent dramatic battle between a plant and an animal, which is the main business of insectivorous predators, naturalists and naturalists are delighted, and amateur growers, despite the complexity of growing these amazing plants, are eager to enrich their collections with them.

Drosera capensis (Cape sundew)

Among insectivorous plants, the most common are sundew forms, which number more than 100 species. At home, grow one of the most beautiful sundew - Cape. On the stem of this perennial plant there are thin elongated leaves with attractive-looking hunters with glands, which release special substances for digesting prey. A predator flower is in constant expectation of insects.

20 - 30 degrees - the optimum temperature of the plant in summer, 12 - 15 - in winter. The most suitable soil for a whimsical flower is a mixture of sphagnum moss and sand. Cape sundew needs regular moistening of the soil coma, for which it is recommended to practice watering with distilled water from a pallet. To grow Drosera capensis from seeds is difficult enough, therefore it is recommended to take capelin, like other carnivorous plants, in the form of a ready-made specimen.

Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap)

Sometimes carnivorous plants are capable of rapid movements. The edges of the leaf-trap close quickly, hiding the prey, from the predatory plant of the genus Dionaeus, called the Venus flycatcher. The insect is in the "stomach", where after 10 days of digestion, only the chitinous membrane remains from it.

The flycatcher will feel good in the garden or on the windowsill, where the appropriate conditions are created: regular watering with a tray of rain or distilled water and several hours of light (preferably in the morning). The most interesting procedure for the owners of the flycatcher is the feeding of the plant. From time to time, it is possible to feed the trap sheets with soft insects, but not cheese, meat or large arthropods, which can cause the rotting process inside the plant "stomach". Some carnivorous plants, including the flycatcher, need a period of hibernation, as their energy is not enough for continuous growth throughout the year. To the plant passed into a state of winter rest, it should be placed in a basement, a cool room or a refrigerator. At the same time, it is necessary to check its condition and not to allow the peat-sand mixture to dry out.

Nepenthes (Nepenthes)

The Nepentov family includes about 120 species of plants, home to the tropical forests of Asia. Carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes are equipped with a small bud, which gradually expands and turns into a sort of pitcher-a trap. The menu of several species of this predatory plant includes even small vertebrates - birds, rats, lizards. Only small species that feed on insects are suitable for domestic consumption. Most often Nepenthes gracilis is cultivated. A plant that requires special care should be purchased only if there is a room greenhouse or a terrarium. The floriculture for successful breeding of this predator needs to provide conditions similar to those of warm and humid tropical forests.