Most carnivorous plants are relatively low maintenance, as long as care is taken to give them the correct growing conditions. Some need a period of dormancy with reduced watering and cooler temperatures, and those that are not hardy should be brought indoors over winter, if they’re not permanently grown indoors.

A good rule of thumb: if you are comfortable around your plant in jeans and a T-shirt, then your plant is comfortable too. Most plants are also comfortable if you’re naked. Naturally, there are other extremes that plants experience that we can’t really relate to, not including nudity. Some rare species like it especially hot or cold. But those commonly found online and in everyday nurseries thrive at room temperature. 70 degrees or so is a good temperature to keep your plant at before experimenting with extremes. This carnivorous plant has tiny bladders hidden beneath the soil or water, depending on the variety you choose. The trapping mechanism is much the same. Its bladders (which are mutated leaves) have trigger hairs. When these are touched, a sort of trap door opens. This is lined with a substance that attracts a variety of insects, including mosquito larvae. Once trapped, the insect is digested. Carnivorous plants have evolved in association with peat bogs and have always been thought to grow best in peat. However, some growers have undertaken their own trials with peat-free alternatives and are now sharing their successes. All carnivorous plants aim to eat insects around them. Their main goal is to feed themselves to survive.Many carnivorous plants grow in the wild in boggy or swampy ground that is acidic and low in nutrients, so growerstraditionally used peat-based compost. The use of peat is soon to be banned in the U.K., and more sustainable options have been developed in recent years, such as milled pine-bark, other fibrous materials such as coir, or sustainably farmedlive sphagnum moss, combined with sharp sand or perlite. See the RHS policy on peat use. Next, you can place your dormant plant on a windowsill in a water tray. Water your plant with the appropriate water. Make sure that the pot remains as cold as possible in this period too. A garage window might work well in this situation as well. Make sure that the windowsill or pot doesn’t heat up, else your Sarracenia might erroneously emerge from dormancy!

Color might be your deciding factor. If green is your color of choice, Dionaea‘Justina Davis’ is definitely for you. This cultivar stays completely green, no matter how much sun it gets. Light is as important as water when it comes to carnivorous plants. They need plenty of light to thrive. Lots of sunlight brings out the lush red of many carnivorous plants that make them attractive.

How to care for your Carnivorous Plant

Sarracenia needs an acidic soil or potting mix that is low in nutrients. It can be moist but well-drained or even poorly drained. Sarracenia Care Guidelines