Most people believe that beautiful representatives of the flora are food for reptiles and insects, herbivores. They also know that a large proportion of plants in the human diet. However, not everyone knows that there are carnivorous plants on Earth that are not averse to eating living organisms.
Today, more than 600 species of predatory plants are known to science, which have special adaptations to attract and hold prey. They are united by a bright color that attracts insects. In addition, they all grow on rather poor soils.
Why do plants become predators?
Almost all plants feed on the juices of the earth. For their extraction, they have a root system, often quite branched. It is through it that useful substances from the soil enter the stem, are absorbed and turn into fiber, leaves, wood, into beautiful inflorescences pleasing to the eye. The more fertile the soil, the more opportunities the plant has. Suchthe principle applies to all representatives of the flora.
But, unfortunately, the soil is not fertile everywhere. A carnivorous plant that feeds on insects is forced to extract the substances that are necessary for its life, for one simple reason - there is nowhere else to take them, because predators live on very poor soils. And yet they are developing well. Moreover, many growers grow carnivorous plants at home.
How do predator plants eat?
In the course of evolution, the leaves of carnivorous plants have undergone serious changes: they have turned into special trapping organs: sticky traps, instantly triggered traps, water lilies filled with digesting fluid. For example, a sundew leaf is covered with droplets of a sticky substance. For this brilliant scattering, the Americans call the plant gemstone grass.
Shine attracts an insect, which recklessly sits on a trap leaf and immediately sticks to it. Interestingly, almost all carnivorous insect-killing plants can distinguish between edible and inedible. They do not respond to false signals (raindrops, fallen leaves). But when an insect falls into the trap, the villi located on the leaf immediately wrap around it from all sides, and the leaf itself folds into a small dense cocoon. In this state, special substances are secreted from his glands. Their composition is very close to the digestive juice of animals. With their help, chitin dissolves, and all nutrients rush through the vessels of carnivorous flowers. A few days later the trapswings open - she is ready to hunt again.
Hunting occurs somewhat differently in the oilwort: the leaf of the plant does not curl up after the capture of the insect. Nitrogen, which is contained in the body of prey, gives a powerful impetus, and the production of digestive fluid begins. It looks like fat, perhaps it was she who gave the name to the plant.
Darlingtonia, Nepenthes, Sarracenia demonstrate a completely different way of hunting. In these plants, the leaves have turned into jugs, filled to the brim with a digestive composition. Insects caught on the inner wall of the leaf slide off and end up at the bottom of the trap.
Scientists consider the Venus flytrap to be the most active carnivorous plant. Its leaves look like shells. They are densely covered with sensitive hairs. As soon as the victim touches one of them, the flaps slam shut at the same second, and the plant begins to produce digestive enzymes. Different types of carnivorous plants have a digestive cycle that can last anywhere from five hours to two months.
Rosyanka
Inhabitants of the northwestern regions of Russia are well aware of the name of a carnivorous plant that grows in swampy lands - this is sundew. As a rule, there are two types - round-leaved and English. These are small plants with leaves collected in a rosette. Sundews are endowed with moving tentacles, on the tips of which sticky droplets of liquid protrude.
An insect crouched on sticky tentacles immediately becomes a victim of the plant. The tentacles quickly trap him.
DarlingtoniaCalifornian
This plant is considered a rather rare species, growing in swamps and near springs with very cold running water. Most common in Oregon and northern California. The plant is complex: in its jug it has false moves. On them, insects, attracted by the sweet aroma, try to get out, but the more active their efforts, the faster the prey sinks into the sticky composition.
At the same time, botanists note an interesting fact - this plant is pollinated by some insects that do not die in mucus, but science does not yet know what species they belong to.
Venus flytrap
This is a small carnivorous plant that feeds on insects and arachnids. Around the underground stem are leaves shaped like rosettes. Usually, one adult plant has no more than seven leaves, each of which is a trap. The flycatcher grows very low to the ground, so it does not lack food: insects easily crawl into the trap.
This plant's traps, lined with stiff, spike-like cilia, close in a split second. Interestingly, the venus flytrap minimizes false flaps: they close only after the victim touches the internal hairs, and within only twenty seconds.
When the prey is trapped, the edges of the leaf lobes close it, creating a closed volume where the prey is digested.
Nepentes
Herbaceous, bushy, predatory liana,which is widespread in the tropics of Asia, the Seychelles, the Philippines, Madagascar. It is distinguished from other carnivorous plants primarily by its size: often a jug in length reaches 30 cm. With the help of such a trap, the plant successfully hunts not only insects, but also amphibians, lizards and even small mammals.
Nepenthes liked the monkeys: the researchers have repeatedly observed how they drink from fairly large cups, for which the local population calls this vine "monkey cup". Most of the plants of this species are small, feeding only on insects. But there are also large species among them, for example, Nepenthes Rajah, Nepenthes Rafflesiana, hunting small animals (lizards, rats, birds).
And neptens attenboro, named after presenter and journalist, former Air Force chief Sir David Attenborough, is the largest carnivorous plant on the planet. The discovered flower had impressive dimensions. Its jug held almost two liters of liquid, which was located in two layers: at the bottom there was a digestive fluid, and at the top - clean water, in which even mosquito larvae were found.
Zhiryanka
A carnivorous plant that uses its glandular, sticky leaves to obtain additional food. They are very juicy, painted in pink or bright green. On the upper side of the leaves are two types of cells. Some of them produce a mucous secretion in the form of droplets on the surface of the leaves,which are very sticky. Other cells produce digestive enzymes.
Biblis
The plant is also called rainbow. A small species of carnivorous plants that came to us from Australia. The rainbow plant got its second name due to the mucus that covers the leaves. In the sun, it shimmers with all colors. The leaves completely cover the glandular hairs, which secrete a mucous substance, which is a trap for small insects.
Rosoloist Lusitanian
Subshrub close to sundews, which has the second name of the Portuguese flycatcher, comes from the Mediterranean. The plant gives off a sweet fragrance that attracts insects. They get stuck in the sticky surface and die.
Rosolist has an excellent appetite: during the day, an adult plant successfully copes with several dozen large flies.
How to grow carnivorous plants at home?
Even flower growers with extensive experience admit that growing such plants is not easy. However, all the difficulties in growing and caring are more than offset by the opportunity to observe these unique plants, feed them with annoying midges and mosquitoes.
Carnivorous houseplants need special attention and proper care. Predatory plants play the role of "orderlies", destroying insects in the apartment. Of the more than 600 species of carnivorous plants, only two dozen are cultivated as domestic. The most commonly grown are:
- rosyanka (round-leaved, English, royal);
- nepenthes (some species);
- purple sarracenia;
- fatty;
- heliamphora;
- Venus flytrap;
- aldrovanda (aquatic plant).
For them, it is necessary to create certain conditions in the apartment.
Lighting
All carnivorous plants need good lighting, preferably diffused light. Some species are not even afraid of direct sunlight. In low light, plants whose leaves are colored orange, red, raspberry, burgundy change it to green, losing their brightness and decorative effect. The same can be said about modified leaves that are intended for hunting: jugs, funnels, traps. Tropical predators are especially sensitive to lack of lighting - Darlingtonia, Nepenthes. In winter, they need additional lighting.
Temperature
In the room where such an unusual plant grows, it is necessary to maintain the usual temperature for a particular species. In other words, it should be close to natural. Carnivorous houseplants from a temperate climate: butterflies, sundews, sarracenia, venus flytrap - feel great at a temperature of + 18 … 22 ° C. However, they do not suffer if the temperature drops to +10 ° C. It is interesting that the sunflower, sundew and frost-resistant varieties of sarracenia can be successfully grown in open ground, near artificial reservoirs.
To the representative of the tropics -nepentesu - a higher temperature is required - from 22 to 25 ° C.
Substrate
Carnivorous plants are planted at home in soil similar to the natural composition of soils. It should be acidic, with a pH of 5.0 to 6.2, not containing large amounts of mineral and organic components. For example, you can use a mixture of peat with sphagnum sand in a ratio of 3: 1. Sometimes peat replaces coconut fiber, and sand replaces perlite.
Moisture and watering
Carnivorous houseplants are watered with warm (19-22°C) soft water. In summer, watering is done three times a week, and in winter - once. Often, novice flower growers face the main problem when growing carnivorous houseplants - providing the right humidity.
In order for the plant to grow normally and actively develop, most species need high air humidity - more than 60%. Tropical species (nepenthes, darlingtonia) need about 85% humidity. Otherwise, the plants will lose their decorative effect: the tips of the leaves, on which the traps and jugs are located, dry out, and do not appear on new leaves.
To maintain the necessary air humidity, regular spraying of the plant is not enough. Many people use a pallet with expanded clay or pebbles poured into it. Pour water into it so that it does not touch the bottom of the flower pot. It is best to grow carnivorous plants in florariums or winter gardens. If this is not possible, use special humidifiers.
Feeding
In indoor floriculture, green predators, as in natural conditions, need additional nutrition. Predators are fed, as expected, with protein food. Horseflies, flies, cockroaches, spiders, small slugs are suitable for this.
Active predators (Venus flytrap) are fed using tweezers: carefully bring an insect to the open trap and release it into the trap. As soon as sensitive hairs feel the touch of the prey, the trap will instantly close.
