pitcher plant

i was just at home depot and they had of pither and carniv plants for $4
i bought a couple and well see how the turn out

what variety? i used to grow carniv plants exclusively, i could probably give you some pointers on them.

i got a couple of sweet pitcher plants (sarracenia purpurea)

[Arklier]

Originally Posted by heaser

i got a couple of sweet pitcher plants (sarracenia purpurea)

I have some carnivours plants in with my azureus. You want to avoid Sarracenia in dart frog enclosures because they come from temperate areas of the US. The constant high humidity and relatively high temps will kill them. If you want pitcher plants, you want lowland Nepenthes.

right on the money Arklier!

I will say however that the sarracenia purpurea will tolerate high temp and high humidity, but they will drop their pitchers and will not produce more. they will live, but they are rather unremarkable without the traps.

Also, be careful what species of nepenthes you get, as some of them will grow their traps large enough to trap your frogs. and thats not a good thing. the plant will like it's $50 snack, but you wont =)

My suggestion is to get a 3 gallon fish bowl and do a little research on setting up a bog terrarium for your pitchers, they are great fun plants to have and hey! you already have a supply of fruit flies to feed it! a good reference is the terraforum board over at http://www.petflytrap.com those guys know their CP!

[Homer]

I have some carnivours plants in with my azureus. You want to avoid Sarracenia in dart frog enclosures because they come from temperate areas of the US. The constant high humidity and relatively high temps will kill them. If you want pitcher plants, you want lowland Nepenthes.

The issue with North American pitcher plants (of the genera Sarracenia) is not the humidity or temps. After all, they grow in bogs, so the relative humidity of the atmosphere directly surrounding them is very high (evaporative humidity). Plus, have you ever been in southern Georgia in August? It's a lot hotter than my terrarium!

The issue has to do with the fact that they require a period of dormancy at lower temps for at least two months. Additionally, these plants require VERY high light (at least 1/2 sun for most to thrive) which is difficult to recreate in our terraria. If you live in Zone 6 or further south, build yourself a bog garden and plant these beautiful plants in there.

Otherwise, I will agree that the lowland Nepenthes, tropical sundews, and some of the Pings (butterworts) are better prospects for the terraria.

I've always wondered if Nepenthes will catch the frogs in their pitchers. I have one in my tank, but it still has not pitchered.
Neal

[Arklier]

Well, I could have worded it a bit better. I meant 'constant high humidity and relative high temps' in that the plants can survive them, but will eventually die without a dormancy period. I should have been more clear. In my vivs I've used N. alata, N. gracilis, and N. ampullaria with great success with my azureus. As you know, they're relatively large darts, of the 3 listed, I would only trust N. gracilis in with thumbnails. I'm relatively sure that the frogs would be OK, but don't want to risk it. I also have an N. glabrata, but it's a bit small and needs temp drops at night, so I'm considering growing that one seperately.

actually, the sweet pitcher plant is Sarracenia rubra. Sarracenia purpurea is the purple pitcher plant.

Also, most drosera (sundews) and pinguicula (butterworts) will not fair well in a vivarium, as the frogs usually trample them :shock: Also, I highly doubt a nepenthes pitcher could catch a frog, it would more be big enough for the frog to climb in and out of, kinda like a bromeliad 8) there are stories of ventrimaculatus in vivariums laying their eggs in large nepenthes, the tadpoles would hatch and feed on the caught insects! not sure if this is true though...