Carnivorous Plants Facts
Carnivorous plants are plants that eat insects and other small animals. They are often called insectivorous plants.
Carnivorous plants grow in soil that has little nitrogen. As we know, all living things need nitrogen, carnivorous plants get nitrogen from the insects they eat.
✍ Let's Explore 5 Carnivorous Plants Facts For Kids
1. Pitcher Plant
A pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant, also called as Insectivorous plant.
Pitcher plants resemble their name: they look like pitchers that are actually a modified leaf. The apex of the leaf is the lid.
Pitcher plants catch insects in a cup of liquid. The sweet nectar present on the wall of pitcher attracts insects.
The wall of the pitcher is waxy and slippery, so when an insect lands on the wall, it sticks with the wall. After decaying insects, the nitrogen releases from their rotten body. And the plant takes that nitrogen.
2. Venus Flytrap Plant
Dionaea Muscipula, the scientific name of Venus Flytrap are the most popular carnivorous plant in the world.
The Venus flytrap’s primary prey is ants, but it will also eat flies, beetles, slugs, spiders and even tiny frogs but only when they are really hungry. After catching an insect they can completely digest them.
Charles Darwin famously described the plant as “One of the most wonderful in the world.”
3. Cobra Lily Plant
Darlingtonia californica, the scientific name of the Cobra Lily looks like a cobra snake, is a rare plant native to northern California.
It is also known as the California pitcher plant. It attracts insects in its pitcher-like modified leaf with nectar on its downward-facing opening.
Transparent windows in the leaves of the plants cause insects to get confused. They think they’re fleeing, but they’re actually flying deeper.
4. Butterwort Plant
The leaves of these plants have gluey hairs that release enzymes and acids that can dissolve and degrade their prey.
Butterwort plant is also famous for its flowers pollinated by hummingbirds.
5. Australian Sundew Plant
Few more Carnivorous Plants are Philcoxia Minensis, Jungle lantern plant, Trigger plant, Brocchinia reducta, Triphyophyllum peltatum, The Parrot Pitcher plant, etc.
Read more plant fun facts and also visit here to know about carnivorous plants facts. Also you can test your knowledge about plants by attempting the plants quiz.