More and more people are encouraged to have carnivorous plants at home. These species, which are characterized by feeding on insects and other small beings to obtain nitrogen, are very varied and of many types, and are highly appreciated for their exotic appearance.
In this article we leave you a list with the names of the 9 most common types of carnivorous plants , their main characteristics and photos.
Types of carnivorous plants – list of names and examples
If you were wondering what are the types of carnivorous plants that exist, pay attention to their classification according to the type of trap they have to catch their prey:
- Carnivorous plants that use the folding of the leaves.
- Carnivorous plants that use the sticky hair technique.
- Carnivorous plants that have pitcher-shaped leaves with liquid inside.
Now, we show you some examples of types of carnivorous plants and in the next sections we will see species within these types and their characteristics with photos.
- Sarracenia
- Sundew
- Nepenthes
- Cephalotus follicularis
- Aldrovanda vesiculosa
- Dionaea muscipula or Venus flytrap
- Darlingtonia californica
- Drosophyllum lusitanicum
- Pinguicula grandiflora
Sarracenia
Sarracenias are carnivorous plants native to North America. They have a characteristic tube shape, at the end of which the nectar that attracts insects is generated . Upon entering the tubular-shaped plant, the insects can no longer get out and are digested when trapped. Some of its species are:
- Sarracenia purpurea
- Sarracenia leucophylla
- Sarracenia flava
Sundew
Also known as Sun Dew , this genus of carnivorous plants is one of the most numerous, and they stand out for their way of hunting: they generate a few drops of a sticky liquid rich in sugars that make insects that come to feed on them stick together. he. At that moment, the plant reacts by closing on the trapped insects, and ends up killing them by suffocation or exhaustion.
Among the species of carnivorous plant Drosera are known:
- Sundew capensis
- Sundew rotundifolia
- Sundew spatulata
- Sundew binata
- Drosera aliciae
Nepenthes
The Nepenthes , also called pitcher plants or monkey cups , are native to the tropical regions and are very striking for their traps beautiful jar filled with a syrupy liquid that attracts insects. One of its common names comes from the fact that monkeys have sometimes been seen drinking rainwater from their traps. In addition, and especially in the wild, some grow so much that they are known as giant carnivorous plants, although there are other large species that are rarer.
Some species are:
- Nepenthes ventricosa
- Nepenthes bicalcarata
- Nepenthes rajah
- Nepenthes alata
- Nepenthes ventrata
- Nepenthes attenboroughii
Cephalotus follicularis
This small carnivorous plant has its origin in Australia and feeds through cups or jugs that its leaves form, in which insects drown. It is the only species among the different carnivorous plants, in which the leaves and traps are totally differentiated.
Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Also called Water Wheel , this is an aquatic carnivorous plant that we can find floating in still waters. Its small traps are located at the end of each leaf, which when touched close and trap the small prey to feed.
Image: BugWoodCloud
Dionaea muscipula or Venus flytrap
Without a doubt, this is one of the best known carnivorous plant names . The Venus flytrap is one of the most famous and represented in the world. Their peculiar traps, which resemble jaws surrounded by teeth, close when they detect that an insect or other small animal, such as an amphibian or a small mammal, has landed on them, thus starting their digestive process.
Darlingtonia californica
The Darlingtonia, or cobra plant , gets its popular name from its snake-like appearance standing up and sticking its tongue out, exactly like a cobra. Its tubular leaves form jars that point outwards and act as traps, because inside these insects are trapped and are digested in a short time.
Drosophyllum lusitanicum
The Drosophyllum lusitanicum or Flytrap is the only one of its kind. It is from drier climates than most carnivorous plants and has a reputation for being difficult to grow. Its sticky leaves are covered with mucilage and when insects stick to them they end up being digested.
Pinguicula grandiflora
This insectivorous herb is also known by the names of water violet, large-flowered grease, tirana, or spring flower . It inhabits temperate climates, and stands out above all for its large purple flower, much larger than usual in other plants of its characteristics. It doesn’t really have a trap, but its sticky leaves sometimes catch small insects, on which it feeds.
Caring for carnivorous plants
Most carnivorous plants require a lot of care to be able to have them at home or in the garden properly. These are some key points of the care of carnivorous plants:
- Many of them are tropical plants, and require their substrate to be permanently moist and their leaves to be dusted with water almost daily .
- There are also many that require substrates with a high percentage of moss, precisely due to those humid and tropical environments from which they come. This is a point that should not be overlooked, and it is very likely that your carnivorous plant will end up having problems if you do not give it a substrate with moss .
- In addition, carnivorous plants do not tolerate the incidence of direct sunlight well , especially in the most intense hours. Some of them, in fact, can acquire an intense red coloration in their leaves or traps when exposed to direct light, although it should never be done in the strongest hours of light.
One thought on “9 types of carnivorous plants”