Venus Flytraps:Most wonderful plant in the world

These unique plants have been called "Most wonderful plant in the world." They are awesome. They are only found in North Carolina and a small part of South Carolina. These marvelous plants have evolved over time.
One unique feature is that when the inner 3 hair on the inside lobs (3 on each side making 6) are triggered, a mechanism then shuts the trap, trapping insects. But the green rib sticking up from the lobes then overlock. THis makes it even more difficult for insects to escape!

Nepenthes Ampularia doing well

This Asian pitcher is coming back to life after disappearing after I repotted it when it was doing well.

CP Confuscious say "if it is going well don't repot as some like Asian pitchers are very picky)

These are now about 3 inches long in a weeks!
Two other shoots are between 1-2 inches long
while this one ( bottom Right photo ) just started emerging from way down further . Looks like 2.

The N. Ampularia is really growing and spreading out very quickly unlike my other Neps that have failed to create pitchers.

I have no idea why it does so well. It might be the sphagnum moss soil.

This pitcher is not supposed to sit in water. I water them once a day in the morning too TOP DOWN.

Venus Flytrap flower

The VFT flower opens up a series of pretty white flowers.

This flower opened from VFT #2. Unfortunetly it did not open for some reason.

more pitchers sprouting and the inside bristle hairs

This pitcher grows like a plumpish sprout. (there is a smaller one in the photo below)

Notice the interesting purple veins that run down the sides.

The top is first closed and the the slit of the
crown opens up and unfurls the top of the pitcher.


Here you can see
* the inside purple veins

* Notice the spike like hair on the inside lips of this North American Pitcher.

(1) Why did the pitcher develop these?

Supposedly their is a sweet scent on the inside lips of the crown of pitcher. Insect are attracted to it as food is.

The hairs on the inside lips of the pitcher point downward. Insect stepping on the inside of the pitcher are forced to go down as these sharp hairs impede their ability to go back up.

* Eventually the insects fall into the opening below which is filled with water and chemicals. They drown and their bodies are broken down to be used by the plant for nutrients.

Oh Joy ! The N.Ampularia is growing

I thought it was dead. The plant was going so well in the winter and creating many pitchers. But then I thought it was time to repot like the other plants which usually need it once a year at least. I never should have done that. Almost immediately, the pitchers stopped growing and the whole plant seemed to sicken. The pitchers went and so did the buds and more. I held out hope that is would "come back" in the summer.

A few days, I could see that there two buds beginning to grow on one of the big stalks and 1 on the bigger stalk. Oh joy! The Amp is back I hope for sure will once again be displaying its beautiful big traps soon!

In the Kansas bright Sun, my CPs are doing well

In the Kansas bright Sun, my CPs are doing well.

Outside VFT1 has 7 new big traps, several which caught insects and are showing the results after digestion.

VFT2 is more of a cluster type and now has at least 15 VFTs of all sizes.







S. Purpurea (Northern Pitcher) is coming back strong this year after incubation. It has 4 new leaves , 3 old ones and 1 coming up.





The difficult Cobra is doing quite well. It has produced 11 new pitchers, with their bright green glistening hood.

Notice the cobra fangs on the inner side.

Also on the top are little "windows" of transpararent type material. The cobras have adapted over time to create these windows. Flying insects that go inside the underside of the cobra (lured by sweet nectar on the cobra inside) bump against the walls and are more likely to plummet into the well of the cobra below where the chemicals in their water moat break down the insect and use it for decomposition.