Carnivorous Plant Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of popular carnivorous plants with care guides, trapping mechanisms, and cultivation tips.
Featured Carnivorous Plant
Showing 17 of 80 species
© Attenboroughii at English Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0Nepenthes Alata
Nepenthes alata
One of the easiest Nepenthes, growable indoors by beginners, producing many green pitchers.
© No machine-readable author provided. NepGrower~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 2.5Nepenthes Ampullaria
Nepenthes ampullaria
A unique Nepenthes clustering pitchers on the ground, decomposing fallen leaves for nutrition.
© Hans Breuer / CC BY 2.0Nepenthes Bicalcarata
Nepenthes bicalcarata
A Nepenthes with two fang-like projections at the pitcher mouth, famous for ant symbiosis.
© Attenboroughii at English Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0Nepenthes Edwardsiana
Nepenthes edwardsiana
A ultra-rare Kinabalu endemic with exquisitely toothed peristome of unmatched beauty.
© Mickaël Schauli / CC BY-SA 4.0Nepenthes Gracilis
Nepenthes gracilis
A slender Nepenthes with a unique lid mechanism that flicks insects in with raindrop impact.
© Urs Zimmermann, Switzerland ( www.nepenthes.ch ) / CC BY 3.0Nepenthes Hamata
Nepenthes hamata
A fearsome-looking Nepenthes with fang-like sharp projections inside pitchers, from Sulawesi highlands.
© JeremiahsCPs / CC BY-SA 3.0Nepenthes Lowii
Nepenthes lowii
A Nepenthes with toilet-shaped pitchers that collect tree shrew droppings as nutrition.
© Alfindra Primaldhi / CC BY 2.0Nepenthes Maxima
Nepenthes maxima
A beautiful Nepenthes from Sulawesi with large pitchers and diverse color forms, relatively hardy.
© apes_abroad / CC BY-SA 2.0Nepenthes Mirabilis
Nepenthes mirabilis
The most widespread Nepenthes, from SE Asia to Australia, hardy and great for beginners.
© en:User:Rbrtjong / Public domainNepenthes Rafflesiana
Nepenthes rafflesiana
A large Nepenthes widely distributed in SE Asia with huge pitchers and varied coloring.
Nepenthes Rajah
Nepenthes rajah
The world's largest Nepenthes from Mt. Kinabalu, Borneo, with pitchers exceeding 35cm. CITES protected.
© David Tan / CC BY-SA 3.0Nepenthes Sanguinea
Nepenthes sanguinea
A hardy Nepenthes from Malay Peninsula with many red-green color forms, easy for beginners.
© Alfindra Primaldhi / CC BY 2.0Nepenthes Singalana
Nepenthes singalana
A highland Nepenthes from Sumatra with rounded pitchers and beautiful red coloring.
© Shawn Mayes / CC BY-SA 3.0Nepenthes Spectabilis
Nepenthes spectabilis
A highland Nepenthes from Sumatra with strikingly beautiful striped peristome.
© Stewart McPherson / CC BY-SA 3.0Nepenthes Truncata
Nepenthes truncata
With flat-cut leaf tips and huge pitchers, said to catch rats. A giant species.
© Original uploader was Attenboroughii at en.wikipedia / CC BY 3.0Nepenthes Ventricosa
Nepenthes ventricosa
A Nepenthes with cute rounded pitchers, highland but relatively easy to grow.
© kallerna / CC BY-SA 4.0Nepenthes Villosa
Nepenthes villosa
A Mt. Kinabalu endemic Nepenthes with hairy pitchers and intricate peristome of stunning beauty.
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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.