By Jonah Delasanta
In his 1875 book Insectivorous Plants, famed naturalist Charles Darwin referred to the carnivorous Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) as “one of the most wonderful plants in the world.” While many people may picture jungles and rainforests when they think of carnivorous plants, it turns out that these plants can be found just about everywhere. Venus flytraps, in fact, are native to a narrow area of the Carolinas, and carnivorous plants are more common than their fantastical method of gaining nutrients might suggest. One species, purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea), is even found in most US states. Read on to learn about some of the fascinating carnivorous plants native to our region.
Locally, the most common carnivorous plants you can encounter in the mid-Atlantic region are sundews (Drosera species) and pitcher plants (Sarracenia species). Carnivores’ unique adaptation to trapping and digesting insects and other small living organisms allows them to supplement the nutrients that their soil otherwise lacks, thus they are abundant in areas unsuitable for most other plants, such as bogs and wetlands. At Mt. Cuba, purple pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) can be found growing happily in the bog garden down at our ponds. Look for their pitcher-like leaves emerging from a central point on the plant. While they tolerate shaded conditions, pitcher plants will turn deep shades of red and purple when they receive adequate sunlight. You can also find them growing in containers in portable bog gardens displayed on our South Terrace. Although other species of pitcher plants can be found locally, the majority of white and green ones are native to areas deeper in the southern US.
Sundews are found on every continent except for Antarctica, and there are just under 200 known Drosera species. The plants vary dramatically in form and have an fascinating evolutionary story. Locally, look for their dewy red-tinged tentacle-like leaves that give them their common name of sundews. Much like the purple pitcher plants, sufficient sunlight deepens their colors and stimulates dew production, as long as their moisture and humidity needs are met. Be sure to keep an eye out for tiny sundews in boggy areas in nature. Look carefully where you step, and use a hand lens to get a better view.
One variety of locally native carnivorous plant only the keenest of observers will likely spot is the aquatic carnivore, bladderwort (Utricularia species). Though Delaware has 12 bladderwort species, finding them outside of their flowering season requires very careful observation and knowledge of the plant. Unlike pitcher plants, which rely on unsuspecting insects and other critters drowning themselves in a vat of digestive enzymes, bladderworts take matters into their own hands (well, bladders). When trigger hairs are activated by passersby, the bladder opens and vacuums the surrounding water and whatever is in it into its trap, digesting the insects soon after. Fun to observe if you’re not the unlucky water bug!
Next time you’re hiking or kayaking in the eastern temperate forest ecoregion and come across a boggy area, pause to take a careful look around. Whether you’re searching for sticky sundews or perilous pitcher plants, knowing what to look for and where to look will give you a glimpse of these ‘most wonderful plants in the world’ not far from home. Like other native plants, they are best left exactly where they are found. For some species like the Venus flytrap, it is even a crime to harvest them from the wild due to their extreme overharvesting for commercial sales, so be sure to purchase your carnivores from reputable growers to enjoy at home.