The Insect Mall

Question: What is a cool insect eating plant that can be grown indoors?

(Posted by: david s on 2010-03-02 17:44:54)

What insect eating plant can I grow indoors? I want one that is cool/ beautiful. I was looking at venus fly traps but they are to small and wouldn't look good on my window sill. I was also looking at flypaper style insectivore plants but I really like the idea of a closing trap.

Posted by: Flytrap care.com on 2010-03-06, 11:09:39

Venus fly traps are too small? How large of a plant are you looking to get? And cool/ beautiful is kind of subjective, right? Most carnivorous plants aren't terribly large, but Sarracenia and Nepenthes are pretty large carnivorous plants. However, their trapping mechanism is passive (a pitfall style trap). The only non-aquatic plant that actively snaps shut with a trap is the Venus fly trap. I think you should reconsider getting one. If you think they're too small, maybe you could get several?

Posted by: Jenni on 2010-03-02, 18:35:35

I think its pretty much a venus fly trap cause, alot of the carnivorous plants need wet (swampy) soil to grown in.

Posted by: Greenthumb on 2010-03-03, 07:28:57

Most carnivorous plants can be grown indoors provided they have strong sunlight. However, only the venus flytrap and the waterwheel has closing traps. The others use a passive trap system and there is no movement. Flytraps are small. You will never find a large one. If you are looking for a larger carnivorous plant, the pitchers can get large. You can also get a tropical pitcher (Nepenthes) they have traps that hang from the plant. Other carnivorous plants include Butterworts, Sundews, Pitchers, and Flytraps. read more here: en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Carnivorous_plant

Posted by: Audrey S on 2010-03-03, 10:40:22

Consider pitcher plants -- they trap bugs on the inside but are still interesting plants. You can see them here