Carnivorous Plants

Anyone have experience with them?

I have recently decided to try Venus flytraps again and have set up somewhat of a mini-bog on my porch... right now I have 1 plant, waiting on 5 more to come in the mail, and have a few seeds sewn so hopefully I can get some from seed. I want to get various varieties in order to cross pollinate, in order to try to get my own varieties.

do you have specific questions? I've had some before and my bestfriend has kept a variety for years, I'd be happy to ask her for info if she can help you out.
they are really cool.

They have some huge pitcher plants at the Berkely Botanical Garden, monsters!

Don't use tap water! I learned that one last year the hard way

Just wanted to discuss them with someone, learn from their experiences and stuff, I had one when I was a child, and it died shortly after it flowered. This is my first time trying them again. I hope to get some Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Cephalotus, and Heliamphora in the future, when I get my larger bog set up.

Yeah I only used distilled. I think I killed my first VFT because I used tap water.

Connie and I are going to be setting up a small artificial bog and planting some insectivorous plants pretty shortly. We bought a DVD that looks pretty helpful in setting them up properly -> http://www.amazon.com/Grow-Carnivoro...ous+plants+DVD

The only thing we are worried about is the baby green anoles getting caught up in them. I'm sure the first time Connie sees a baby anole in a venus fly trap the entire garden will have a "Roundup event".

Rich, I believe that most vertibrates that are small enough to get caught by VFT's are also strong enough to escape a majority of the time. Though I don't know about baby anoles.

Also, have you ever seen a group of Pitchers in the wild? I had the pleasure of seeing some on the Eglin AFB "wildlife reserve" while out Herping, back in 2006. I wish I still had the pictures of those. They were awesome.

I have also seen wild sundews near one of my cousin's ponds in Louisiana. I really hope that he still lives there next time I go visit, because I would love to get a specimen for my collection.

Actually there is a place due West of my home where there are FIELDS of pitcher plants. I know I've seen sundews quite commonly while out snake hunting years ago, but darn if I can remember exactly where. They were actually quite common along roadways in some areas. You would notice them by the red wash over the ground that was caused by the coloration of those sundews. These are the pad type, as I don't remember seeing the thread shaped sundews around here, anywhere. Up in New Jersey the thread type used to be very common in the bog areas up there.

I've read that there are supposed to be areas up here in north Florida where venus flytraps have become established, but I've never seen them myself. Of course, it's the kind of thing where I might have walked right past them but didn't even notice them while looking for herps instead.

asked my friend if she had any advise to offer, this was her response:
"These are a type of plant I haven't had too much luck with. I have a Sarracenia, but it's not doing well. You might suggest he get a copy of "Savage Garden" by Peter D'Amato. It's very through, and the guy that wrote it has a wonderful nursery devoted to carnivores. It's in CA, north of the SF bay. I might also suggest he find out if he should have let his flower--I know venus fly traps will die once they flower, and it might be the same with these.

Sorry I don't have more advice. I'm focusing on Nepenthes and Drosera."

Thanks April.
I will actually look into that book. I have heard many good things about it.

I am actually in the proces of learning how to clone my VFT. If I am successful it would be awesome..LOL.