Reviving a Dewless Drosera adelae

Question: Bought D. adelae from you months ago—thrived in west window, ate fruit flies. Now no dew. Kept in distilled water, not repotted. Indoors. Recent heat wave? Can I revive it? Lots of fruit flies to catch. Answer

Water Softener (Culligan) Output Is Harmful to Nepenthes: Use Untreated or RO Water Instead

Why Softened Water Is Worse Ion-exchange softeners replace calcium/magnesium with sodium. Sodium is toxic to carnivorous plants at low concentrations. Hard water is safer than softened. Best Water Sources Reverse osmos

Carnivorous Plants of Australian Rainforests

Question: What carnivorous plants in Australias rainforests? Answer Hello Mike, Homework question? Cant answer specifically. I dont know every species in Australian rainforests—never researched that. But there are severa

Outdoor Care for Lowland Nepenthes bicalcarata and Rescued Darlingtonia

Question: Received lowland bicalcarata. Species tips for outdoors? House too warm for wife. Upper 90s too hot? Full sun all day too much? Natural terrain? Also rescued Darlingtonia—new leaves die back with red patches. H

Planting Carnivorous Plants in Zone 8 Bog Gardens: Timing and Acclimation

Question: Latest in Zone 8 NC growing season to plant new CPs for establishment before dormancy? 1) Add Sarracenia and VFTs this year? 2) Raised bog, full sun, rainwater, peat/sand mix, foot of outside soil on two sides.

Nepenthes Producing Small Pitchers Despite Healthy Leaves

Question: 6-month-old Nepenthes grew large pitchers, then last 3 are 1/10th size. Leaves still large, glossy, green. Moved 2 months ago but grew large pitchers after move. Dilute orchid fertilizer every 4th watering. Two

Best Tropical Carnivorous Plants for a South-Facing Window

Question: What tropical plants for a south-facing window well? Answer Hi Jacob, Assuming northern hemisphere. Almost any tropical carnivorous plant thrives in a south window. Great starter plants: Nepenthes sanguinea Ne

Nepenthes Placement: Avoid Daily Indoor/Outdoor Shuffling

Question: Live in Fayetteville, NC. No window for Nepenthes. Considering truncata or Miranda. Morning outdoor sun, shade rest of day, or inside? Can they handle sudden climate changes? Constant moving good? Answer Hi Jes

Nepenthes Flower Stalks: Seed Pods or Not?

Question: My Nepenthes put out two 12 sprouts ending in tiny banana-like stalks. They turn brown, dry, look like seed pods with thread-like seeds. Are they seeds? Can I grow plants from them? Answer Hi Vicki, Uncertain i

Growing Temperate Sundews Outdoors in Zone 7: Pros and Cons

Question: Zone 7 Tulsa, OK. Highs mid-80s to 90s. Have D. anglica, spatulata, capensis alba (getting adelae, aliciae). Windowsill light insufficient. Move outdoors but manually shade during extreme heat? Answer Hi Keenan

Sarracenia Pitcher Lid Browning: Watering and Seasonal Factors

Question: Sarracenia lids browning, some splitting. Outside, 5–6 hours direct sun. NYC tap water (soft, 10–40ppm). Vacation month ago—possible slight underwatering in muggy weather. New growth regular. Known issue? Answe

Lowland Nepenthes Care: Bicalcarata and Ampullaria in Windowsills

Question: Received N. bicalcarata and N. ampullaria. Windowsill: humidity 43–66%, temp 75–84°F. Okay? Plan to use coco-chips and LFS. Which coco-chip brand? Wash for salt? T12 lights okay? Eventually building greenhouse

Multiple Carnivorous Plant Issues: Drosera adelae, Nepenthes sanguinea, and Spoonleaf Sundew

Question: Split brothers lance-leaf sundew; one clump of 3 has only 1 dewy plant. Other two sprout smooth leaves without dew/tentacles. Only difference: rescued Lowes plant got vermiculite in rooting; clump got standard

Watering Nepenthes and Drosera adelae with Tap Water Alternatives

Question: Many adelae and two medium Asian pitchers. Collect rainwater but Texas rain is scarce; buying spring water is costly. Can tap water be modified (e.g., sitting out)? Suggestions? Answer Hi Matt, Use tap water oc

How Nepenthes Absorb Nutrients from Prey

Question: If I feed crickets to Asian pitcher plants, they drown. Does the pitcher absorb nutrients from the stem attaching it to the vine, or through its walls? Some pitchers have low fluid not reaching the stem. Answer

Venus Flytrap Leaf Dieback: Blooming and Water Quality Issues

Question: Large flytrap from you: traps dying after 3 weeks, but plant growing beautifully. Maybe eating too many bugs or acclimating? Followed care sheets. Leaves thin—cloudy weather? Also, right fluorescents for N. mer

Troubleshooting Cape Sundew Browning: Water Quality and Light Cycles

Question: Cape sundew sends up new shoots that brown before sizing. Setup: shelf, 4 from fluorescent, water tray, clear plastic humidity dome, foil reflector, 24/7 light. Flytrap same setup thrives. Suggestions? Answer H

Nepenthes Pitcher Shrinkage and Sundew Dew Cycles

Question: My ventricosa pitcher shrank after opening—normal? Cape sundew in Exo-Terra with 4×26W fluorescents: day temp 82°F, humidity 64%, lights 8 above. Dew less by day, more in morning—okay? Answer Hi Jason, Environm

Nepenthes Miranda Care: Dried Tendrils and Winter Housing

Question: Bought Miranda in FL. Many shoots but dried tips—will they pitcher? Hanging outside on patio, lots of sun. In vermiculite and dried sphagnum, kept moist, misted every 2 days. In PA. Have portable greenhouse for

Best Indoor Carnivorous Plants for Fly Control

Question: Best cool kitchen fly-catching plant? Answer Hello Martha, People grow carnivorous plants for uniqueness, not pest control. They may attract more flies via nectar. If you want one, try Nepenthes or large tropic