Carnivorous plants are known to fascinate many a scientist, collector and generally garden lover with their beautiful appearance, traps and abilities. Well, as a terrarium enthusiast, I am also incredibly interested in making carnivorous plants flourish in a terrarium.
Indeed, carnivorous plants offer a fascinating addition to any terrarium. Picture it for yourself, you wake up and walk into your living room, the first thing you see is a beautiful terrarium filled with carnivorous plants, it even looks like a jungle. In this article, we explore which carnivorous plants thrive in a terrarium and how to create a successful habitat for them.
Why put carnivorous plants in a terrarium?
A terrarium provides a controlled environment that can mimic the natural habitat of carnivorous plants. Thanks to the high humidity and constant temperature, terrariums are the best places for these plants. Moreover, in the same closed environment, you can supply your carnivorous plants with live insects without them flying all over your house. Thanks to a terrarium, you can observe the carnivorous plant up close.
Popular carnivorous plants for terrariums
Of course, an awful lot of carnivorous plant species can be kept in terrariums. However, there are a few favourites. Let's take a look at them.
Venus flycatcher (Dionaea muscipula)
The Venus flytrap is known as the most iconic carnivorous plant, it owes this to its famous clap traps. This carnivorous plant can really flourish in a terrarium with plenty of light and high humidity. In addition, you can also specifically provide the soil with nutrient-poor soil combined with being well-drained.
Sundew (Drosera)
Sundew, also known for the sticky cuttings filled with sweet droplets with which they catch insects, is a perfect choice for a terrarium. This is because Drosera generally stay small, this makes them ideal for confined spaces. Besides, Drosera are also great to look at.
Cup plants (Nepenthes and Sarracenia)
The pitcher plant is, of course, an incredibly spectacular plant that comes in an awful lot of different sizes, shapes and colours. Take the Nepenthes, for example, these are also known as the tropical pitcher plant. They are perfect for terrariums as they need constant humidity and temperature. The Sarracenia, on the other hand, benefits more from a cooler environment. These are suitable for larger terrariums where you can create a temperature swing, so to speak.
How do I create the best terrarium for my carnivorous plants?
This choice depends incredibly on your choice of carnivorous plants. This is because they all have their own specific requirements and therefore obviously cannot all be put together. For instance, closed terrariums are naturally better suited for plants that require higher humidity, whereas open terrariums are better for plants that need it less.
Soil and water
The rule of thumb for all carnivorous plants is to pot them on a nutrient-poor soil, this can be a mixture of peat moss and perlite or use our special carnivorous plant soil for this purpose. In addition, we also really recommend only using rainwater, reverse osmosis water or distilled water. The reason we indicate this is because tap water can contain minerals which can be harmful to your carnivorous plants.
Light and temperature
Almost all carnivorous plants need a lot of light, so it may help to place your terrarium where there is a lot of indirect sunlight. If you don't have this available, you can of course choose grow lights. The ideal temperature for each carnivorous plant is of course different, although most prefer a day temperature between 20°C and 30°C, with a slightly cooler night temperature.
Nutrition and maintenance
Carnivorous plants, as we all know, feed on insects, however, it seems that carnivorous plants in a terrarium environment often do not need as much nutrition as we think. In any case, avoid feeding large insects or overfeeding carnivorous plants to avoid diseases and even rot.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I feed my carnivorous plants?
As we mentioned above, it seems that carnivorous plants in a terrarium environment need feeding much less frequently than in the wild. In this case, it is enough to give them a small insect once a month.
Can I put different species of carnivorous plants together in one terrarium?
Sure you can, just keep in mind that their environmental and care requirements match. Think of similar light, humidity and temperature requirements.
Conclusion
We at Carnivory.eu understand that keeping carnivorous plants in terrariums is an incredibly fascinating hobby. After all, it gives you the opportunity to observe carnivorous plants up close. Of course, as we mentioned earlier, it is important that you choose your carnivorous plant species carefully and when you want to mix them, match their needs before you mix them.