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Close-up of a red, dew-tipped round-leaved sundew leaf holding a trapped insect, with more sundews behind

Plants that Hunt

Carnivorous plants trap and digest animals to make up for poor soil. This site explains how they live and how to grow them, one species and one lesson at a time.

Start learningExplore species

Learn the Plant,
Not the Recipe

Care advice only makes sense once you know what a plant is and where it comes from. The lessons here follow three habits that make growing easier.

  1. Identify your plant

    Know the genus and, where possible, the species. A Venus flytrap, a tropical pitcher plant and a sundew need very different things.

  2. Understand its conditions

    Light, water quality, growing medium, temperature and dormancy. Learn what the plant experiences in habitat before adjusting your windowsill.

Follow the beginner path
Macro of a single Cape sundew leaf covered in glistening red-tipped tentacles against green

  1. Observe how it responds

    Plants answer slowly. Keep a simple log, change one thing at a time and judge by new growth rather than by a single leaf.

Meet the Main Groups

Most plants a beginner will encounter belong to a handful of genera. Each card opens an introduction to that group: what the plants are, where they grow and how they are cared for.

All plant groups
A potted Venus flytrap with many open traps showing red interiors, growing in a botanical garden1 profile

Dionaea Venus flytrap

The only species in its genus and the plant most people picture when they hear the words carnivorous plant. Easy to keep for a season, harder to keep for years: it needs full sun, mineral-free water and a cold winter rest.

IntermediateHinged snap trap

Dense stands of tall yellow-green pitchers of the yellow pitcher plant in an open savanna2 profiles

Sarracenia American pitcher plants

Rhizome-forming perennials whose leaves are hollow pitfall traps, from squat rain-filled cups to trumpets a metre tall. Among the easiest carnivorous plants outdoors in a temperate climate, given full sun, pure water and a cold winter.

BeginnerPitfall pitcher

Cape sundew with upright strap-shaped leaves covered in sticky dew, growing in front of a rock2 profiles

Drosera Sundews

The largest and most varied group of carnivorous plants: sticky-leaved plants from thumbnail-sized pygmies to knee-high climbers. The common subtropical species are among the easiest carnivorous plants to grow; the temperate, pygmy, tuberous and woolly groups each need their own seasonal routine.

BeginnerSticky flypaper leaves whose stalked glands bend over prey

A single waisted green Nepenthes ventricosa pitcher with a ribbed red rim hanging among leaves and fern fronds1 profile

Nepenthes Tropical pitcher plants

Climbing vines of the Old World tropics whose leaves end in hanging, lidded pitchers that drown and digest insects. No dormancy, temperature needs that depend on the altitude a species comes from, and a few hybrids that make easy windowsill plants.

BeginnerPitfall: a fluid-filled, lidded pitcher at the end of each leaf

A flowering Pinguicula moranensis on a rock face, a green rosette with purple flowers on long red stalks1 profile

Pinguicula Butterworts

Small rosettes with flat, sticky leaves that catch gnats. The Mexican species sold in shops are among the easiest carnivorous plants for a windowsill; the temperate species need a frozen winter and are a different proposition.

BeginnerSticky, greasy leaves

Small pale lilac rabbit-like flowers of Utricularia sandersonii on thin stalks above tiny leaves and sphagnum1 profile

Utricularia Bladderworts

Rootless plants whose traps are tiny underwater bladders that suck in prey faster than the eye can follow. The terrestrial species are among the easiest carnivorous plants to keep and flower almost continuously; the aquatics are harder than they look.

BeginnerSuction bladders

The Beginner Path

Four short lessons in a deliberate order. Finish them and you will be able to choose a first plant, water it correctly, place it well and carry it through winter.

Start with lesson one

  1. Choosing a suitable first plant

    How to pick a carnivorous plant that will succeed in the conditions you actually have, and why the famous one is not usually the easiest.

  2. Understanding water and growing media

    Why carnivorous plants are harmed by ordinary tap water and potting compost, which alternatives work, and how to water without guessing.

  3. Matching light and growing location

    How much light each group of carnivorous plants needs, how to judge what a windowsill really provides, and when a grow light is the honest answer.

  4. Understanding dormancy and seasonal changes

    Which carnivorous plants rest in winter, what the rest looks like so you do not mistake it for death, and practical ways to provide it in different climates.

Latest Articles

Practical notes on growing method, record keeping and research habits.

All articles

Growing Experiments

Small, documented comparisons from the growing journal. Each entry states its question, method and limitations, and says plainly when no results exist yet.

All experiments

Beginner Questions

Short answers, with a link to the lesson that explains the reasoning.

Read the beginner guide
Which carnivorous plant should I start with?

For a sunny windowsill or outdoor spot, Drosera capensis (Cape sundew) is widely recommended because it tolerates a range of conditions and does not need a cold dormancy. Venus flytraps are also achievable if you can give them very strong light and a cool winter rest.

Lesson 1: choosing a first plant
Can I use tap water?

Usually not. Most carnivorous plants come from mineral-poor habitats and are harmed by the dissolved salts in many tap waters. Rainwater, distilled water or reverse-osmosis water are the safe choices.

Lesson 2: water and growing media
Do I need to feed my plant insects?

Plants grown outdoors catch their own food. Indoors, occasional feeding with small insects can help, but light is far more important than food. Never feed meat or fertilise the soil as you would a houseplant.

Lesson 3: light and location
My Venus flytrap is dying back in autumn. Is that normal?

Very likely yes. Dionaea muscipula and the North American pitcher plants (Sarracenia) go dormant in winter: growth slows, traps blacken and the plant shrinks to a small rosette. Keep it cool and just damp, and growth resumes in spring.

Lesson 4: dormancy and seasons
Why is the difficulty rating on a species page only a guide?

Difficulty depends on your conditions. A plant that is easy in a bright greenhouse can be hard on a north-facing windowsill. Each rating is an editorial judgement about typical home conditions, explained on the species page.

Browse beginner species