Carnivorous houseplants for indoors

Carnivorous plants delight young and old. We have selected six carnivores for you that are ideal as indoor plants.

They are the villains in horror films and scary stories: Carnivorous plants have always had a special fascination for people and have long been the model for many legends. Nowadays, of course, we know that the unusual plants (except for flies) are by no means dangerous. Instead, carnivorous plants make great roommates who not only look interesting, but are also great to watch. In addition, many carnivores are extremely useful because they fight annoying insects naturally. Here we will tell you which carnivorous plant species are suitable for the home and what you have to consider when caring for the extraordinary plants and whether you should feed them.

Are you curious and want to get yourself an unusual houseplant? Here you will find our top six carnivorous plants that are also suitable for the home.

6. Pitcher plant

You are a friend of the extraordinary, hanging plants? Then it is Pitcher plant (Nepenthes) ideal for you: True to its name, the interesting exotic is characterized by hanging jugs, which it uses as a tool for insect hunting. The plant exudes a nectar-like liquid on the lid leaves of its jugs, which attracts unsuspecting insects. When they land, these slide off the smooth walls of the plant and fall into the digestive fluid - a perfect insect trap. As fascinating as the pitcher plant is, it is also demanding in terms of care: it needs a large one Lots of light without direct exposure to sunlight and a high humidity of at least 60 %. Lovers therefore particularly like to keep the plants in terrariums in order to offer them the optimal location. With a little effort, however, you can cultivate the plants without a terrarium - the pitcher plants turn into real eye-catchers, especially in hanging baskets. Regular watering is also particularly important for the plants. The root area should never get completely dry and there should always be one to two centimeters of water in the jugs.

5. Swamp jug

The swamp jug remains secluded on the table mountains (Heliamphora) Undiscovered for a long time - researchers first described the plant genus about 200 years ago. Today the marsh jug belongs to the premier class when it comes to keeping carnivorous plants, because it has very high demands. In particular, the humidity of 70 to 80%, a temperature of 20 to 25 ° C during the day and 10 to 15 ° C at night should always be maintained so that the plant can thrive. In addition, the sump pitcher needs a lot of sunlight, so in winter it should be helped with a special plant light in case of doubt. Regular watering is also part of caring for the carnivorous plant; the soil should be constantly moist and the plant's jugs filled - but no waterlogging should form. In return, you get one of the probably oldest carnivorous plants, which not only impress with their distinctive appearance but also with their great catching technique. Particularly AntsAs well as flying insects such as beetles or mosquitoes, they are attracted by the color and nectar of the jugs and slide down their smooth edges into the interior, where they drown in the water. In fact, there are no digestive enzymes in the jugs as in other carnivorous plants - animals are decomposed solely by the bacterial fauna residing in the liquid, which is why the plant is also considered to be precarnivorous.

4. Sundew

Carnivorous plants do not always have to come from exotic regions - you can also come across these unusual creatures in Germany. In fact, we can find three types of sundew (Drosera) Find. However, they are all under nature protection, which is why they should not be excavated under any circumstances. Instead, you should buy the sundew in your nearest specialist shop to get its fascinating catch mechanism Observe: Movable tentacles stand close to the leaves of the plant and give off a sweet lure secretion. If insects land on these leaves, they stick to the secretion. Additionally, the remaining tentacles roll over the victim as the plant begins to secrete digestive enzymes. Fruit flies are at the top of the sundew menu, which is why it is perfect for natural vermin control in the kitchen. The sundew is especially ideal for beginners: in a warm, bright location and with regular watering, the plant will thrive almost on its own. Only dry heating air should be avoided with the sundew.

3. Pitcher plant

Like from another world - the pitcher plant (Sarracenia) is a real eye-catcher with its extravagant stature and unusual color scheme. The upright growing mugs of the plant are often green to red in color and finely veined, which is why they have an almost unreal and bizarre look. From April to June the plant also develops pretty, red-green flowers that emphasize its extravagant appearance. But the pitcher plant is not only suitable as an eye-catcher: With its help, flies and other insects can be controlled very easily. These are attracted by the nectar scent of the leaves, slide off the smooth throat and finally fall into the digestive fluid of the plant. When it comes to care, the plant likes it moist and bright - it doesn't mind the cold. The pitcher plant is actually hardy down to -20 ° C and can also be cultivated outside in a bog bed without any problems.

2. Butterwort

The butterwort looks quite innocent (Pinguicula vulgaris) with its large purple flower and light green leaves. In fact, the plant can harm some flies - it is a clever insect trap. Attracted by the sweet scent of the plant, annoying insects like Sciarid gnats and fruit flies on the greasy, sticky leaves of the plant and are caught on the spot. There the small animals are digested by the enzymes of the butterwort. Unlike most carnivorous plants, the butterwort doesn't like much water and should instead be watered like a normal houseplant. Otherwise the carnivore needs a place in partial shade without direct sunlight. This does not necessarily have to be in the house: the hardy carnivore also feels at home in a bog bed. If you want to cultivate the butterwort as a houseplant, you should give it a short break in winter at a maximum of 10 ° C.

1. Venus Flytrap

It is probably the best-known representative of the carnivorous plants - the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) has already been a model for some monsters. Young and old are particularly fascinated by their spectacular trapping method: trapping leaves with pointed bristles on the Edges slam in a flash when an unsuspecting insect perches on them, holding the victim captured. The insects are attracted by the intensely red colored inside of the folding trap, which also produces sweet nectar. If you then touch the fine contact hairs, the trap snaps shut within a few milliseconds and digestion begins. This spectacle entices many to help with the hand and to irritate the plant with a wooden stick or tweezers. However, this fun should be enjoyed with caution: Usually a trap can only snap shut six times before it dies. If you want something from your plant for a long time, you should get too much Feeding by hand refrain. Otherwise, the Venus flytrap is considered a relatively sociable carnivorous plant - sunlight and regular watering of the Venus flytrap are for your care a must, but otherwise it does not have any great demands on its owner. In summer the plant can even move outside without any problems, but in winter it should be in a cool, bright place.

Proper care of carnivorous indoor plants

Carnivorous plants are incredibly fascinating and exude an exotic flair - unfortunately they are a bit more complex to care for. The right basic requirements are particularly crucial: dry heating air is a horror for carnivores Humidity of 40 to 50% is the absolute minimum, some species even need significantly higher values ​​of up to 80 until 100%. So that the humidity corresponds to the needs of the plant, you can take various measures: One filled with expanded clay Water bowl under the actual plant pot increases evaporation, special foggers can also improve the humidity. Lovers also like to keep their carnivorous exotic species in terrariums, as the humidity can be precisely adjusted here.

But carnivores also differ from most other plants in terms of nutritional requirements - because they usually come from very barren areas, this is almost negligible. In fact, it is more important to ensure that the plants do not get too many nutrients. We recommend one special carnivore soil as a substrate for the carnivorous plants. This is specially tailored to the special needs of the plants. In addition, the irrigation water should be as low in lime as possible. You should completely avoid mineral fertilizers with carnivorous plants.

Feeding carnivorous plants?

A frequently asked question when keeping carnivorous plants is whether they need to be fed regularly. The answer to this is a resounding no - as a rule, you can safely do without actively feeding your houseplants. Usually enough suitable insects such as flies and mosquitoes live in the apartment and thus form a sufficient source of nutrients. If you still want to actively observe an insect trap, you can also use tweezers. However, one should not exaggerate: Feeding animals that are too large or unnecessary irritation of the catch leaves can damage the plant in the long term. Not only carnivorous plants are suitable as special eye-catchers in the home. which exotic houseplants still make a powerful impression, you can find out here.