Carnivorous Plant Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular carnivorous plants with care guides, trapping mechanisms, and cultivation tips.
Featured Carnivorous Plant
Showing 10 of 140 species
© Brian Gratwicke / CC BY 2.0Alabama canebrake pitcher plant
Sarracenia rubra ssp. alabamensis
A pitcher plant surviving at only about a dozen sites in central Alabama. Its finely hairy yellow-green pitchers are veined red, and its reddish-purple flowers smell of raspberries. It is a CITES Appendix I subspecies.
© U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainMountain sweet pitcher plant
Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii
A pitcher plant surviving only in bogs of the Appalachian Mountains. It raises slender green pitchers veined in maroon, like a larger S. rubra, and bears red, raspberry-scented flowers. It is a CITES Appendix I subspecies.
© No machine-readable author provided. NoahElhardt assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY 2.5Sarracenia Alata
Sarracenia alata
A Sarracenia with winged tubes, delicate yellow-green form and sweet-scented lid.
© Mx. Granger / CC0Sarracenia Flava
Sarracenia flava
A Sarracenia with tall yellow-green tubes, one of the largest species, exceeding 1m.
© Mickaël Schauli / CC BY-SA 4.0Sarracenia flava var. atropurpurea
Sarracenia flava var. atropurpurea
A variety of the yellow pitcher plant, S. flava, coloured deep red over the whole tube and lid. The lid is red from the moment it opens and usually darker than the tube. Strong light is essential for the colour.
© Aaron Carlson from Menomonie, WI, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0Sarracenia flava var. rubricorpora
Sarracenia flava var. rubricorpora
A variety of the yellow pitcher plant, S. flava, with a red tube and a veined yellow to green lid. The contrast of red body and pale lid is its mark. A rare variety found only in the Florida panhandle.
© Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0Sarracenia Leucophylla
Sarracenia leucophylla
The most beautiful Sarracenia with white lids and red vein patterns, especially stunning in autumn.
© Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0Sarracenia Minor
Sarracenia minor
A Sarracenia with window-like transparent patches on the lid, trapping insects confused by light.
© Kurt Stüber [1] / CC BY-SA 3.0Sarracenia Psittacina
Sarracenia psittacina
A Sarracenia with unique parrot-beak-like pitchers spreading along the ground.
© No machine-readable author provided. NoahElhardt assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0Sarracenia Rubra
Sarracenia rubra
A small reddish Sarracenia that attracts insects with sweet scent, many varieties exist.
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Carnivorous Plant FAQ
- How much do carnivorous plants cost?
- Venus Flytraps cost 500-2,000 yen, Nepenthes 1,000-10,000 yen, and rare highland Nepenthes can exceed tens of thousands of yen depending on species and size.
- Can beginners grow carnivorous plants?
- Venus Flytraps, Sundews, and Sarracenia are relatively easy and beginner-friendly. Keep them in a tray of water for humidity and place in a sunny spot.
- How long do carnivorous plants live?
- Venus Flytraps can live 10+ years with proper care, and Sarracenia are similarly long-lived. Nepenthes can grow for decades in the right conditions, getting progressively larger.
- What should I check when buying carnivorous plants?
- Check that leaves and traps are healthy with no root rot. For Nepenthes, choose specimens with pitchers. Avoid sudden environment changes after purchase and acclimate gradually.
- Do I need to feed insects to carnivorous plants?
- They grow fine through photosynthesis alone without feeding. Insects are supplemental nutrition and don't need to be force-fed. Outdoor plants catch bugs naturally, which is fun to observe.