Sean's Carnivorous plants
As a natural extension to aquatic gardening, the wonderful world of Carnivorous plants add hardiness to North American gardens that would not be found in many other aquatic plants. Because many of these plants are North American natives and require a winter dormancy they will survive in many zones throughout North America with little or no winter protection. The lure of carnivorous plants is a strong one. You will not be able to stop with just one plant.
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I purchased four Sarracenia Leucophylla aka (White Trumpet Pitcher) in January 2003 before I went looking to find more information on them. I have wanted to try them for many years and was able to get these ones half price for $5.00 each.
Here is a quick photo of them.
There are hundreds of websites that came up in my search but they all say the same thing which does not answer my questions. I know one of them must have the correct information but I get tired reading websites with "Cloned" information.
I am planning to use one of the 30 gallon lotus pots I acquired at the symposium last year to make a small bog garden for them but would like to know what is the best soil for them? I have read they prefer plain sphagnum but they are currently planted in a mix of what looks like peat, loam and Pearlite. I dislike Pearlite personally and would like to eliminate it if it's not needed. I have access to live moss everywhere but have heard they dislike sheet moss and that it can kill them. If this is the case, should I just use peat moss with dead sphagnum and hope it starts to grow again on it's own? I want to give these little plants their best chance.
My research found that the best mix for carnivorous plants is one of 1/2 peat moss and one half silica sand. Ideally live Sphagnum moss is preferred but it is rather difficult to acquire live sphagnum in large quantities. Using the Peat and Sand mix works just fine allowing one to top off with Live Sphagnum moss for a completed effect.
Another question is how wet/dry/moist is ideal for them?
The research I conducted also found that these carnivores do not like to dry out.
While the Pitcher Plants can be found growing in wet bogs or even standing in pools of water, many of the other carnivorous plants do not like to be as wet.
The Venus Flytraps and Sundews prefer to maintain even moistness and are best planted in the top layer of live Sphagnum moss where the wicking action of the moss draws water up to the root zone of the plant. Watering your carnivorous plants is another touchy situation. These plants should never be watered with city tap water or softened well water. The ideal water for them is rain water, providing you do not live in a large city where it comes down as acid rain, distilled water, or reverse osmosis water.
In the last week since I purchased the first four Sarracenia 'leucophylla' I have found that there is a local Carnivorous plant society that I plan to join. I have also lucked into a few other varieties and cultivars of Sarracenia that were available at various local nurseries. These plants were a bargain at 50% off due to the season and being in dormancy. The wonderful finds were a rare cultivar named Sarracenia 'Judith Hindle' that is considered to be the most beautiful Sarracenia by many enthusiasts and a Sarracenia leucophylla' var. 'Tarnok' which is a mutation of the species Sarracenia 'leucophylla' where the pitchers look the same but the bloom is fully double.
Now that I have had an opportunity to collate all the information I was referred to I have finished my mini display bog and was lucky enough to even gather some live Sphagnum Moss to decorate the top.
Here is a photo of the dormant plants in their new home.
Another couple Sarracenia I recently acquired are S. 'purpurea and S. 'rubra' Here is a photo of purpurea.
Just to show how bad I have it, here are a couple photo's of two new Venus Flytraps I purchased to add to my mini bog.
This first one is a hybrid Dionaea Muscipula (Venus Flytrap) named Red Dragon. In ideal conditions this plant is a deep maroon color and slightly larger than the common species variety.
This new addition and it's friend Dionaea Muscipula 'Dente' have been potted up in the mini bog.
Here is photo number two of the other hybrid Dionaea Muscipula 'Dente' .
This Venus Flytrap is named for it's teeth like filaments at the ends of the trap. When mature they look like Sharks teeth.
The mini bog is now in it's completed form at this time with all the new plant material added. Now it's just a matter of waiting for the spring temperatures to bring these plants out of full dormancy. I will not be adding any more plants to this mini bog until I see just how much the plants want to grow and fill in.
Here is a photo of it as of February 3, 2003
Cheers,
Sean