Pitcher plants digest insects with the help of digestive enzymes.
Once the insect gets inside the plant, sarracenia produces digestive juices through the walls. It breaks down the insect and absorbs the nutrients. The plants essentially get nitrogen from the insects. The wall of the pitcher plant is also able to absorb few nutrients and send them directly to the rhizome.
The insect stays inside the plant forever as the plant is not able to break down its food completely. Once the pitcher is dried and falls off from the plant the insect remains are eliminated and goes to the soil. The pitcher plant may catch more than one insect at a time but cannot digest them all. This is why some of the pitcher plants turn brown at the stem as the digestive system stops the process as there are more than enough nutrients for the plant. It is noticed that usually the plants kept outdoors tend to catch too many insects.
There are around 80 types of pitcher plants under the genus Sarracenia, Nepenthes, and Darlingtonia. These are the pitcher plants to name a few.
This is one of the endangered pitcher plants vibrant in color which grows in the spring season.
It’s an attractive yellow plant with 18” stalks. It is found in Alabama and Texas.
It’s a greenish-yellow flower which can grow up to 30’’ tall. Very attractive and the flower resembles a trumpet.
This grows in fall and has beautiful red flowers
This looks out of the world with its white and red-veined pitcher and double sepal red flowers
This is also an endangered plant found in parts of North Carolina. It is one foot tall and is covered with a green hood.
Pitcher plants eat only insects and small animals
Pitcher plants can be grown as houseplants
Some insects like mosquitoes and frogs coexist with pitcher plants for food and shelter.
Some pitcher plants have leaves at the bottom of the stem
Nepenthes rajah is the largest meat-eating pitcher plant in the world. It grows 4.9 feet tall and has an 11.8 inches diameter which can lure and capture even rats.
Some of the pitcher plants are poisonous and are banned from growing at home.
Did you know? The smallest measurement of time is 0.000 000 000 000 000 000…
Brad Pitt is an American actor & producer known for his stunning look & for…
Jeff Bezos' space trip showed that nothing is impossible to achieve if you work hard.…
The Inspiration4 mission, a civilian space tour for a cause, and everything you should know…
Do you know what lies beneath your skin? Find out the weird and wacky facts…
Vitamin C and Vitamin A decrease up to 80% when food is dried! Read on…