Plant Doctor Archive

Water Gardens — Growing carnivorous plants

I KNOW that there are several carnivorous plants that like swampy conditions. Can I keep any of them in my garden pond?

YOU certainly can. Many of the Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia spp.) and the Sundews (Drosera spp.) do well outside in ponds. They do not like to be too deep - about 25mm of water is good - and most can handle full sun or partial shade. It is amazing how many insects these plants actually catch. A Sundew recently added to my own pond at home caught over 50 mosquitoes in just one week!

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH.