Rabbit Ridge Berry Farm

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What are carnivorous plants?

Carnivorous plants are a fascinating group of plants belonging to several different species and genera from locations all across the globe. What they all have in common is that their native habitat is one with little to no nutrients available in the soil, so they’ve evolved over thousands of years to develop the means to acquire nutrients elsewhere – in this case, whatever unsuspecting insect or critter falls into its trap! While there are many types of plant that do kill insects or small animals through spines, toxins, or sticky sap, in order to be a true carnivorous plant it must: have some method of capturing, killing, AND digesting their prey, and must receive the majority of their nutrient uptake from this prey. Some plants, like the well-known Venus Flytrap do this directly, but others have developed symbiotic relationships with other creatures in their ecosystem. There is a species of Nepenthes, the tropical pitcher plant, that has the perfect shape to fit the Wooly Bats which sleep inside of them, and in return they thrive off of the bat’s droppings. The plant Roridula has sticky leaves which trap flies and other small insects. Those are then eaten by assassin bugs, and the assassin bug droppings are absorbed by the plant’s leaves.

WATER

All of the carnivorous plants sold at Rabbit Ridge are wetland plants, which need to be kept hydrated at all times. Carnivorous wetland plants DO NOT tolerate a high mineral content in their water, and need water containing less than 50 parts per million of total dissolved solids. Most tapwater in the US contains an average of 350 ppm, and well water can have even more. We recommend only using distilled or reverse-osmosis filtered water, or clean rainwater.

The plants need to be kept in a container with drainage holes set in a tray with 1-3” of water at all times. This can be either a standard pot and saucer, or a self-watering pot with a built-in tray and wicking system. This allows the soil to absorb the water it needs without getting too waterlogged. Bottom watering is best, but you can occasionally let the saucer empty (WITHOUT drying completely) and water from the top to flush out any minerals that may have been absorbed in the soil.

SOIL

Carnivorous wetland plants grow best in a peat-based soil. We recommend a mix of 50% organic matter and 50% grit for aeration. Here at Rabbit Ridge we use a simple peat and perlite mix, but you can also add chopped sphagnum moss or coarse sand (NOT construction or play sand – the grains are too fine and will clump together rather than holding air pockets).

LIGHT

All of the carnivorous plants we sell will do their best in full sun. If grown indoors, they will need bright supplemental light – any full spectrum LED grow light will do, and there are many inexpensive options available. If the plants don’t get enough light, they won’t develop their vibrant coloration, and the leaves will be skinny, weak, and may die back before they’re fully developed. As long as the roots are still healthy, these plants can usually be revived fairly quickly with adequate lighting.

FEEDING

Don’t be tempted to overfeed your carnivorous plants! Remember that these plants evolved to survive nutrient-poor conditions and are very good at catching their own prey. In most instances, you should never have to feed your carnivorous plant, unless you keep it indoors and are lucky enough to have no pesky mosquitos or fruit flies in your house. In this case you can give it a TINY amount of protein 2-3 times per year. The best options are dehydrated mealworms or shrimp (sold as fish food). You can drop ½ - 1 whole piece into a large Sarracenia pitcher, or crush and sprinkle a few flakes onto the leaves of a venus flytrap or sundew. Less is best! If you add more than the plant can break down, the food will mold and kill the leaf.

COLD TOLERANCE

Some carnivorous plants are winter hardy, others are not. Of those we carry, the sundews and bladderworts are NOT winter hardy and will need to be kept indoors during the winter months. Care remains the same year round.

Sarracenia and venus flytraps are both winter hardy in NC and can be grown outdoors all year, and they require 3-4 months of exposure to temperatures below 50°F in order to maintain a healthy growth rate and develop flowers. They can be grown indoors through the winter, but after 2-3 years with no dormant period the health of the plant will decline. If your carnivorous plants are in a container outside, they can be moved to a safe (but unheated) location overnight if temperatures are expected to fall below 20°F, or if you have a larger wetland garden you can simply cover the bed/container in mulch, leaf litter, or pine straw for insulation, and uncover when temperatures rise in the Spring.

Species Pages Coming Soon!