The Best Carnivorous Plants for Indoors
Carnivorous plants are incredible in the sense that they can be found across the globe from the arctic to the tropics, typically inhabiting wetlands, swamps, marshes and forests. The only place they do not inhabit is Antarctica, making them a resilient species, and one that is not only resourceful but beautifully wild and otherworldly.
What makes a carnivorous plant interesting is not only their deadly entrapment, but their ability to thrive in poor soil conditions. Since many vital nutrients to the plant are missing in their habitats, they instead trap insects, and absorb the nutrients they need from the body of the insect.
Until Charles Darwin’s study ‘Insectivorous Plants’, people found it inconceivable that plants could move yet alone devour insects. Darwin’s experiments and findings sparked an avid curiosity in flesh-eating plants, and helped to inspire much of the cultural fiction about ‘killer plants’ created throughout the 19th century and beyond.
They spark intrigue amongst botanists and horticulturalists alike, who express a deep curiosity in these plant creatures and their evolutionary behaviour, finding their irrepressible drive to continuously evolve fascinating.
Their primary function is to lure their prey and kill them by producing digestive enzymes that break down the insects once trapped, and many species of carnivorous plants will use scent and colour to do this.
Described below are some of the most celebrated types of carnivorous house plants, with a deep-dive into their behaviour, characteristics, and trapping strategy. These look amazing as part of a collection of home plants that will also kill unwanted bugs!
Venus Flytrap
Scientifically known as Dionaea muscipula, this plant has inspired curiosity throughout the botanical world for years, as horticulturalists research endlessly to understand more about their evolution and unique trapping mechanisms.
It is arguably the most sophisticated carnivorous plant in existence. By demonstrating a very active trapping system, the Venus Flytrap is not only beautiful, but also fascinating in behaviour.
The Venus Flytrap features an adapted leaf structure consisting of jaw-shaped ‘traps’ that are lined with tiny hairs on the inside surface. Each hair is capable of detecting minute movements made by insects, triggering the jaws to close very rapidly - sometimes even within 1/10th of a second.
Each leaf is edged with interlocking teeth that enclose around the insect, enabling the hungry plant to secrete digestive enzymes that immediately start to break down the unsuspecting prey.
As deadly as they are depicted throughout popular culture, they are the ultimate survivalist and must preserve energy wherever necessary. Because of this, a Dionaea will only close its jaws once the prey is detected on the trigger hairs a couple of times. This is to ensure a high-kill success rate, and guarantees the energy used is fruitful. This is perhaps the most interesting characteristic of the venus flytrap - that it can distinguish a trigger set off by an insect from a fallen drop of rain.
The Venus Flytrap can consume ants and tiny beetles…but have a real appetite for soft, juicy gnats and flies.
Sundews
Images courtesy of Dean Erasmus | Tatiana Tochilova on Unsplash
Sundews come in an array of shapes, ranging from round leaves and rosette shapes, to long thin, elongated leaves with delicate furled ends. They are named ‘Sundew’ as they display what looks like delicate morning dew drops on their leaves.
Whilst pretty to look at, they are deadly to unassuming prey. Each leaf is covered in sticky tentacles that protrude outwards, and this liquid is mistaken for juicy nectar by bugs and flies, so they will land here to taste the nectar and immediately become engulfed. The sundew leaf is triggered by touch and will carefully curl around the trapped bug. The sticky residue has digestive enzymes, so once the bug lands there is very little chance of escaping.
They are so pretty they almost look like coral from under the sea. Their deceptive beauty makes them a very interesting and popular carnivorous plant, with Charles Darwin proclaiming his interest in them so much so that he included them in 12 out of 18 chapters of his book ‘Insectivorous Plants’.
Maddie from Forest is also a huge advocate of Sundews - they’re one her favourites. She loves carnivorous plants and is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge, so she’s the one to talk to if you are curious about adding bug-killing plants into your home.
Pitcher Plant
Images courtesy of Alfred Schrock | David Clode on Unsplash
Fly catching pitcher plants, commonly known as Sarracenia, originate from Tropical America. The ‘pitcher’ is the tubular shaped vessel that acts as their trapping lure, featuring deep wells that are filled with digestive liquid. Typically they display distinctive red veins running through the pitcher, decorated with frilled tops.
The lid that covers the opening emits a captivating scent, and small droplets of a nectar-like substance. This, combined with distinctive colour patterns, make them irresistible to insects. Once the insect lands on the pitcher they start to instantly gorge on the liquid, but because the pitcher is slippery, they begin to slide down the tube. Each tube is packed with delicate, fine hairs that point downwards, inhibiting the insect from escaping.
With their captivating tall shoots and striking array of colours, the pitcher plant is a beautiful addition to your home.
Butterwort
Image courtesy of Verner Lehmberg
Image source Wikipedia
The Butterwort typically features a rosette of yellow-green leaves that lay low and flat to the soil. These broad leaves have tiny fine hairs that secrete a sticky mucus, and similar to the Sundew, this mucus nectar glistens in the light, capturing the attention of curious insects. Growing out of the rosette is usually a long, slender stem with a purple flowering head. Purple is the most common, however they are also capable of producing pink, red, and yellow flowers, resulting in an attractive colour spectrum of petals to fill your home.
When Butterworts are cared for they can produce multiple rosettes, which subsequently produce more flowers that attract pollinators. So they support the natural habitat whilst helping to keep insect pests down. They are an attractive plant with a simplicity to their nature.
Unlike the Venus Flytrap, they do not have an active trapping mechanism, but instead rely on tacky ‘fly paper’ created by the mucus on their leaves. Once the insect lands it becomes stuck and enzymes are quickly released to dissolve the prey.
Carnivorous Plants in Your Home
These beautiful plants have captivated botanists, horticulturalists and nature enthusiasts for decades. Their astonishing evolutionary adaptations and unique position in the ecosystem place them in a league of their own. You can find an array of carnivorous plants suitable for your home including the ones described here. Cluster them together for a specialised group of bug-killers that not only look mysterious but serve a useful purpose, or dot them throughout your home in areas that may be susceptible to flies and gnats. However you choose to incorporate them, they really are a botanical triumph of nature and a beautiful testament to the weird and wonderful!
*Whilst their secretions can affect insects, carnivorous plants are non-toxic and completely safe for pets.