Cold Hardy Carnivorous Plants and How to Properly Winterize their Dormancy
Carnivorous plants grow in environments known for having nutrient-deficient soils such as bogs heaths or swamps. Therefore took eating meat out of necessity to help satisfy their nutritional needs.
Like other plants, carnivorous plants have their best conditions they can grow in well like with adequate water and sunlight. However, some find it hard in cold-hardy weather.
The good news is, in this article are cold hardy carnivorous plants that can survive even in chilly, frosty weather. These plants are convenient down to 20°F precarious however mulching and other methods we will see in this article is necessary for zone 6 and colder.
Here’s a good piece of article as well to learn about growing Carnivorous in a temperate climate: Is It Possible to Grow Carnivorous Plants in Temperate Climate?
Cold hardy carnivorous plants
Purple pitcher plants
Also known as northern pitcher plant is classified as a perennial meaning it can grow up to three years or longer. It produces 3-inch entertaining flowers that you’ll want to observe closely.
The purple pitcher plant is native to the eastern and north-central North America and can be found up and down the Atlantic coast. It’s a wet area plant. Therefore, you’ll most likely want to use it in a bog garden, damp swales, at the edge of a water feature.
Tip: place it in a nestled thickly together in a mat of sphagnum moss and peaty soil, in a shallow blow and then place the bowl in shallow water and enjoy the beauty.
Sundews (Drosera)
These pretty plants get their name from the way their hair stick out of them to cover in the dew drops. These sticky hairs are called trichomes, and that’s how they trap insects.
Trichomes produce enzymes to break down the trapped insect’s bodies and making nutrients available to the plants. Some types of sundews grow in the tropics; therefore, such can’t withstand the cold-hardy conditions. Sundews can be as tiny as a penny or as large as a small bush.
Venus Flytrap B52
Venus flytrap B52 is known for vigorous growth and hugely significant traps. They can measure over 1.5″ when in right growing conditions. It’s is a supreme subject for terrariums and can grow in a bog garden, greenhouse and indoors.
When at rest position the traps are held open at 45°-60° consisting of two clamshell-like halves, lined with many stout guard hairs and minute nectar glands. A healthy plant can grow 3 to 12 traps or more.
B52 can be propagated from divisions, leaf pulls and flowers spike cuttings and can only be propagated asexually from divisions. Seeds tend to be slow and need steady conditions.
Nepenthes Sanguinea
It seems to elect intermediate to highland conditions but has nicely done well for both in and outdoors in southern California and other cold places. Nepenthes Sanguinea easy to grow clone can grow large and very colourful under right conditions.
This carnivorous plant grows fast and does excellent in greenhouses. The pitchers vary from pure green to blood red and purplish brown.
Sarracenia Purpurea Venosa
This plant is low growing with short, stout traps. It has bulbous and orange with more pronounced ruffling on the margins of the hood. Also has small dense hair that feels soft and flexible to touch.
These American pitcher plants grow among the sedges in the open sun where the moist soil usually is a sand/peat mix. Sarracenia is propagated by rhizome divisions, nicking a mature rhizome and leaf pulls. A mixture of peat and sand where peat content is higher work well, and they grow better there.
How tolerant are Pitcher Plants among all these?
They require large pots like 6-8″ because of their long roots. They do best in moderately moist soil but not soaking wet. Soil should become a bit drier but remain somehow moist during winter dormancy.
If you want the best colours, but the American pitcher plants in full sunlight. During dormancy, traps may still trap insects, and nutrient decomposition always occurs, however, reduce the watering but allow moist soil. Also, trim dead tissue in winter such as pitchers die. Cutting dead growth in early spring before flowers shoot. American pitcher plants tolerate frost, therefore, consider growing them outdoors. They grow reasonably well in a bog box or bog garden. Keeping the soil moist naturally catches a variety of insects.
Here’s another article we’ve written, “How to Make a Carnivorous Plant Bog Garden at Home,” that you can read on to learn how to setup the idea itself for your Carnivorous.
Re-pot every few years in fresh CP soil mixture as peat breaks down and can create poor drainage. This plant can withstand the cold and frost also. It can stay in good condition through most winters without showing excessive decline.
How to Winterize These Plants in their Dormancy?
Many carnivorous plants require dormancy in the period; this is a natural mechanism that allows them to survive the harshness of winter. Some form winter buds, winter leaves, drop leaves if they don’t they will exhaust their energy and die.
During dormancy many plants pitchers, traps and leaves turn brown or black and die back to the base of the plant. You can delicately remove them once they disappear entirely. When the plants begin to bring cues of dormancy, keep the soil slightly damp by watering less, diminish the amount of daylight. You can move the potted outdoor plants to areas such as coolest north-facing window sills. Thus, there is no direct sun to warm pots, basement, or frost-free porch.
Many people ask about refrigeration, which is okay but make sure they are not frozen. While refrigerating these plants, always check them weekly for any fungus or mould. If this occurs, treat them with a dose of a fungicide such as Physan. Never mind, they don’t require light during this period; neither darkness will harm them.
Planting carnivorous plants in bog gardens can offer protection in these frigid winter climate times. In these times you can trim off the dying leaves and cover the bog with additional protection like a layer of hay, pine needles or burlap and remove them when winter is over.
To learn how to properly trim your Carnivorous, read this related article from our collection which you might find a few tips from: When and How to Cut Back My Pitcher Plant?
