Spring has sprung, Carnivorous Plant flowers are appearing

Well Spring is here. My North American varieties are doing well while my Asian and year round plants are doing well in their terrarium.

My prize Ampullaria (left) is pitchering and has some really nice big pitchers. They are very pretty and have little spots on them.

The flower (near the top) is the pretty violet/lilac one from the Mexican Butterwort. I've always had trouble with them but now they are doing fine


with their glistening, waxy leaves.

Suddently, a VFT flower sprung up (left). Even a week later it has yet to open up.







At about the same time this absolutely huge flower like stalk from the S. Purpurea grew up. It is a huge green ball (left). The is the first time that I have had this plant produce flowers. I am happy as it did well last Spring. This flower means that it has made it through the hibernation season and hopefully ready to go outside soon.

It's been a week and it still has not opened. How long does it take?

The bladderworts are doing well and this is the first time I have tried to grow them. I know they are doing well because they started producing their pretty tiny orchid lilac flowers.

My N.Ampullaria now has pitchers

A number of months ago, this pitcher was going really well. But I thought I needed it was time to repot. Wrong! Almost immediately after it did not look well and went into shock , lost its pitchers and did not look well. I kept watering it hoping for the best.

Finally a month or so ago, shoots started coming up and branching out. But no pitchers. I hung in there with it.

Finally a week ago two pitchers appeared. Here is one. Other leaves appear on the verge of pitchering. Seems the Amp is back in business and that is great!!

the CPS are really active here in Kansas

My S.Purpurea (N. America pitcher) has grown four huge pitchers to go along with the other ones.

The rosette of pitchers have gradually grown since April. But the big pitchers have really arrived in September right before the colder weather.

Notice their bright reddish-purple veins .







More cobra pitchers have sprouted as well. They are still bright lime green.


They are difficult to grow but they have done well in the bright Kansas Sun nevertheless. The key I feel has been to cool their roots top down watering in the morning and usually later in the afternoon or night.


Meanwhile the big VFT have been going overtime. They have been catching flies and other insects constantly throughout the summer.

Some of flies with their outer shells seem like they have not even been digested but that process went on inside their bodies. (see the one at 9 o'clock)
A surprise greeting me when one trap opened again. Their were two flies in one trap! I could not take a decent picture of it before the rain came (trip is at the left bottom around 7 o'clock).

Butterwort

I have several of these buttworts. This is a common one P.Primuliflora.

Longish slender leaves with slickly curling lips on the side. A pretty light green they have slightly sticky surfaces and are able to capture small insects. Not as flashy as a Venus Fly Trap, but it does its job.

I now have several really small Pings that are growing. They are finally becoming noticeable.



It is difficult to identify this Ping. It has hairs on the edges of its oval shaped leaves.

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.