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.

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.

My North American plants Hibernating

My North American plants (normally outside in the Sun) are the
VFT, Cobra and S.Purpurea (purple pitcher) are now hibernating during the winter.

They reside in front of terrarium between it and the window so they can weather the winter (hope this works).

Last year I did not give them enough water (I think) and they died. I could leave them outside but I feel the frequent blustery cold winds and chilling cold than plunges the temperature ever so often here in Kansas would kill them.

Cobras are not easy to grow. One before did not make it. But I wanted to see if I could get the Cobra to grow in the sunny Kansas weather. Supposedly are hard to keep, but mine did very well this year and more pitchers shot up so I must have been doing something right. The key I learned is keep the roots cool, do top down watering and don't let water sit around in the pot (more later about the cobra).

I just make sure I give the water and keep them in the dark area behind the terrarium. We shall see if this works and if the grow back and health once out of hibernation in March or April.

I was pleased also the VFT thrived in the Sun and did not shrivel away. Nice pink red in their lobes told me they were getting lots of sun which they like. They were snapped shut all the time so that told me insects were liking them too! Several opened to show the end of the meals and kept on catching more.

My S.Purpurea also great and sprouted new ones. I was pleased with it too. More to come about the sundews, butterworts, other things that went right and things that did not.

MY CP garden in Kansas

I have learned so much more about CPs then I first tried to grow them in 60's and 80's.

I know more about all the factors (but still learning) to get them growing. I am really pleased how my CP garden grew in 2007. I have found the internet, books and correspondence emails from other CP people very helpful. Commercial growers and websites have been helpful too.

I like using my terrarium for my tropicals: (1) They are in one place (which makes my wife happy); (2) I think it helps keep the humidity in for my tropicals; (3) can view all at same time; (4) easy to water. But it is getting a little crowded though.

My pride an joy (well they all are really my pets!) is the N. Ampullaria (big plant you see here).
It is a lowland variety and has done very well. It keeps sprouting huge leaves and nice plump squarish like pitchers. Pitchers start out by growing on a long tendril.



The tip expands into a pitcher. Usually in this species then are sandy orange -red with speckles all around.

What is cute is there is a little strip like appendage off of the lip (on this one on the left). Not sure what they are for. Possibly a place for insects to step on to walk over so the lip/mouth of the pictcher? The pitchers last for a few weeks and then get brownish and wither away. I cut them off then so the there is more strength for the rest of the plant to produce more pitchers!