Just to tide everybody over while I work on a much longer and FAR less entertaining post to mark my return to this blog after at least a year off (sorry about that -- I'll explain later), I wanted to share this amazing set of photographs from the March issue of National Geographic -- marking their first article ever on carnivorous plants!http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/carnivorous-plants/schmitz-photography
Wow, stunning! But, hey, don't be fooled; that's how they work, people. They look so pretty and nice, and so you bend over and pinch their little cheeks as you say cheerfully, "Golly, you amazing, sweet, colorful thing, how are you today?" and then the minute your head gets down close enough, CHOMP! There goes your face! I've seen Little Shop of Horrors, you're not fooling me with those classy good looks, Audrey.
After you view the photographs, don't forget to read the article itself, which is also utterly fascinating! I remember having Venus fly traps as a kid and being completely enthralled by they way they worked, but I haven't owned a carnivorous plant since. Might be time to seek some out. Are there any that grow well outside in the Pacific Northwest?
Nature, you amaze me. Keep on keepin' on with that.
9 comments:
Meg, thanks! I love carnivorous plants and have grown them for years. Have you tried growing them? Most people don't have success, because they grow them indoors, but North American species (flytraps, pitchers, some sundews and butterworts) do fine outdoors here.
And welcome back!
I haven't! I wasn't sure if they would grow up here or not -- they all look so naturally tropical somehow. But I'm excited to hear that isn't the case. I'm definitely going to look for some this spring to try planting. I'll report back later on how they do!
There's a great book called The Savage Garden that will tell you everything you need to know about growing them. The nice thing about growing them up here is that our water is soft enough that you don't have to use distilled water (at least Portland's is).
I like your blog! I check it once in a while and always find interesting reading. I have one small carnivorous plant at home. She eats fly and mosquitoes an I love her for that! :)
Yay! I love to find green thumber blogs! I stumbled upon you while looking for pictures of hazelnut trees which I would like to have. Your pictures are good to look at. I get very antsy during the winter waiting for a little green to come up. Say, what zone are you?
Thanks, all. Laurel, your zone question is a little harder to answer now. When I last posted, I was in zone 8, and I think my co-blogger Meg is too. Now, though, I've moved to Southern California, so I'm in zone 9, almost zone 10 I think. Plants I'm used to seeing as houseplants are grown outside here.
Love carnivorous plants, I'd like to get one that can walk too. :) I know I'm pushin it. It's just that they seem feisty, survivals if you wish.
Thanks for the informative. Fantastic blog. Congratulations!!!
Post a Comment