my son is turning 4 and loves cactus( has about 20 types). He saw a show on discovery about c.p. and now is hooked. I live in Illinois and am having a hard time finding any at local stores. Unfortunately i have zero experience with type of plant. I would love to learn how to care for these plants, because if they die he will be upset! I've been researching to learn the basics, but some experienced guidance will go a long way. I've ordered a few books with pictures so he can decide what he likes but I'm sure I'll end up with an assortment. He has specifically said red fly trap, and purple pitcher? does anyone have a favorite to suggest? I'm open to anything. his birthday is in September and I would love to have few to make his day. PLEASE HELP!
new to c.p. need help!
Fly traps and pitcher plants or at least the one you mentioned are really outdoor plants that need a winter chill and full sun. The purple pitcher plant can take an IL winter (they grow wild in MI so I assume the same in IL) and are pretty easy to grow. For indoors, try some of the sundews.
C
would overwintering in an insulated but unheated garage work? last year the lowest temperature was around 38 and we had just had an ice storm.
I thought about some sundews, and they come in lots of varieties, right? I think they were on the show he watched.
Thanks for the info on the purple pitcher, I will check around the internet to see what I can find him, he said an octopus fly trap just now? the child can remember everything, I have no idea what he's talking about. he's describing it, apparently it has tentacles and drowns its prey in a regular trap?
Overwintering in an unheated garage would work fine, as long as it doesn't go below freezing.
Tropical Sundews like d. Adelae and Capensis are very easy and great for indoor growing in bright filtered Sun. Also Mexican Butterworts like P. Moranensis are great indoors.
Tom
Awesome! I found a vendor on ebay, and just purchased 7 varieties of sundews, my son will be so excited when his birthday package arrives! I've read they don't need fertilizer and no tap water and want lots of light, is there anything else that I should know?
I go to this site often. http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html
Just started with CPs myself, but now into it about six months and have had my dews bloom. Good Luck and let us kow how you're doing
Thanks, I will check out that link! My son saw me looking around on dg, and had to climb in my chair to look to. he asked 4 times before bed if we could go look some more, lol, I told him I was trying to learn about the plants and had to read several whole pages to him! he asked if I would buy him some, so he can watch them catch bugs. i hope he doesn't figure out what I'm up to, he's so smart!