Plant Care Guide
Pinguicula (Butterwort) Care
Pinguicula are perfect for a sunny window and with enough sun can even develop a red, pink, or purple blush. To water your Pinguicula you can use the tray method. Simply place your plant in a pot with drainage holes, then in a tray of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water. Some Pinguicula go through a dormancy phase where they form tight succulent leaves. During this time you can stop watering as much. For a growing medium the best options are peat moss or long fibered sphagnum moss. Both work well and are easily obtained, but be sure they have no additives as fertilizers can kill your plant. Finally, Pinguicula don't need to be fed. While you can feed them make sure it is only bugs and only bugs that can't chew through the traps.
Darlingtonia California (California Pitcher Plant/Cobra Lily) Care
Darlingtonia need full sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun. These plants are a little picky and don't always tolerate the tray method. The best way to water your plant is to top water with distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water until the water runs out the bottom daily. Watering daily helps mimic Darlingtonias experience in the wild where there is a constant slow stream of cool water over their roots. For a growing medium the best option is a mix of peat moss and perlite. It is recommended to use short wide pots to protect against rot. Darlingtonia require 3 - 4 months of dormancy where you can water them less just don't let the soil completely dry out.
Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant) Care
Nepenthes prefer bright, indirect light and high humidity making them good terrarium plants. Most homes don't have high enough humidity and if your plant has stopped producing pitchers this may be the issue. A humidifier or grow tent/terrarium can easily solve this issue. Nepenthes like to be kept moist, but not wet. Watering thoroughly with distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water roughly every 3 to 5 days is recommended. Nepenthes prefer similar growing mediums to orchids like coconut coir, sphagnum moss, perlite, and lava rock. Make sure whatever you get is free of additives as fertilizer can kill your plant. Finally to feed your plant simply put a bug in each pitcher, but make sure its only bugs.
Heliamphora (Sun Pitcher Plant) Care
Heliamphora like direct sun and do well in a sunny window. For growing medium use long fibered sphagnum moss. Be certain it doesn't have any additives as they can kill your plant. With Heliamphora you can use the tray method setting them in a dish of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water, but be sure your plant is in no more than 1/4th inch of water as they can rot easily. Another option is to top water them multiple times a week. Either option is fine just make sure the plant never dries out. These plants also don't like temps above the mid-80s F (28 C).
Utricularia (Bladderwort) Care
Utricularia like full to part sun. To water your plant you can use the tray method. Simply place your plant in a pot with drainage holes, then in a tray of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water. For a growing medium the best options are peat moss or long fibered sphagnum moss. Both work well and are easily obtained, but be sure they have no additives as fertilizers can kill your plant. For aquatic species one sup of peat mixed into each gallon of water. For tropical species equal parts fine orchid bark, long fibered sphagnum, peat and perlite. For terrestrial species two parts peat to one part perlite.
Dionaea Muscipula (Venus Fly Trap) Care
Venus Fly Traps love the sun and need a minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight each day. To water your Venus Fly Trap you can use the tray method. Simply place your plant in a pot with drainage holes, then in a tray of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water. Keep the water about an inch high at all time. It is okay to dry out but the soil should always stay moist. For a growing medium the best options are peat moss or long fibered sphagnum moss. Both work well and are easily obtained, but be sure they have no additives as fertilizers can kill your plant. While these plants do enjoy humidity a terrarium is too humid and will usually kill them. During dormancy your plant will lose they traps and develop into rosettes. Most people think their plant is dying when its really just going dormant. your best option during this time is to kept it in a sunny windowsill in the garage or area that is cooler but not freezing (45-55 F). If you don't have this available to you there is another riskier option of planning your plant in a ziplocked bag and putting it in the fridge for a minimum of 6 weeks. Finally, Venus Fly Traps don't need to be fed. While you can feed them make sure it is only bugs and only bugs that can't chew through the traps.
Sarracenia (North American Pitcher Plant) Care
Sarracenia love bright, direct sun and need a minimum of 6 hours a day. For a growing medium the best option is peat moss. To water your Sarracenia you can use the tray method. Simply place your plant in a pot with drainage holes, then in a tray of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water. Keep the water about an inch high at all time. It is okay to dry out but the soil should always stay moist. Sarracenia need 3-4 months of dormancy. During this time your plant will stop growing and may lose its pitchers, don't worry as long as the rhizome (bulb-like root area) is still hard and not dried out you plant will regrow. You can help them through dormancy by putting them in the fridge or garage until it warms up, but make sure they don't dry out completely.
Drosera (Sundew) Care
Drosera like bright light and the more direct light they receive the healthier more colorful they are. While these plants enjoy humidity these plants don't do well in terrariums unless they are temperature controlled to keep them from frying. For a growing medium the best options are peat moss or long fibered sphagnum moss. Both work well and are easily obtained, but be sure they have no additives as fertilizers can kill your plant. To water your Drosera you can use the tray method. Simply place your plant in a pot with drainage holes, then in a tray of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water. Keep the water about an inch high at all time. It is okay to dry out but the soil should always stay moist. Finally, Drosera don't need to be fed. While you can feed them make sure it is only bugs.
Cephalotus (Austrailian Pitcher Plant) Care
Cephalotus like direct sun and do well in a sunny window. For growing mediums these plants prefer peat moss, long fibered sphagnum moss, perlite, lava rock, LECA, orchid bark, and more! As long as it is free from fertilizer that will kill the plant and has enough aeration to prevent root rot that they are prone to. With Cephalotus you can use the tray method setting them in a dish of distilled, reverse osmosis, or rain water, but be sure your plant is in no more than 1/4th inch of water as they can rot easily. Another option is to top water them multiple times a week. Either option is fine just make sure the plant never dries out.