Carnivorous plants come in a huge variety – from the iconic Venus flytrap to pitcher plants, sundews, and more. While they have different care needs, one thing carnivorous plants all require is a suitable pot. Choosing the right pot is crucial for carnivorous plant health and longevity. In this article, I’ll overview the best pots for carnivorous plants and key factors to consider.
Why Pot Material Matters
Carnivorous plants need sterile mineral-free conditions to thrive. Regular potting soil contains minerals that will gradually burn and kill carnivorous plants. An ideal pot will not leach any minerals into the soilless mix required for CPs.
Plastic and glazed ceramic pots are inert materials that won’t affect soil chemistry. They are the top choice for most carnivorous plants.
Unglazed terra cotta is very porous and tends to dry out soil quickly. These pots also leach salts into the soil over time, causing mineral buildup. I don’t recommend unglazed terra cotta for CPs.
Best Pots for Venus Flytraps
Venus flytraps need a soil mix of sphagnum peat moss and horticultural sand. A standard plastic nursery pot or glazed ceramic pot works perfectly.
For Venus flytraps, choose a pot with these features:
- 3-6 inches wide
- At least one drainage hole
- Made of plastic or glazed ceramic
- Short enough so the plant is visible
Avoidoversized pots as soil may stay too damp. Terracotta pots dry out flytrap soil too fast. Find pots with widths of 3-6 inches for adult VFTs.
Ideal Pots for Pitcher Plants
Pitcher plants like Sarracenia thrive in sphagnum peat and perlite/sand mixes. They require similar pots to Venus flytraps:
- 4-10 inches wide
- Drainage holes
- Plastic or glazed ceramic
Larger species need bigger pots. Allow at least 3-4 inches between the pitcher plant and pot edges for growth. Pitcher plants hate to be rootbound.
Best Pots for Sundews
Sundews enjoy the same soil components as Venus flytraps. For potting drosera, choose:
- 2-6 inches wide, with drainage
- Clear plastic lets in light
- Short pots to keep humidity high
Smaller sundews only need 2-3 inch pots. Larger species like Spoonleaf sundews need 4-6 inch pots. You can use clear plastic pots to allow in light and monitor soil moisture.
Ideal Pots for Butterworts
Butterworts grow in peat/sand or peat/perlite mixes. Select pots for butterworts that:
- Are 2-6 inches wide with drainage
- Made of plastic or glazed ceramic
- Are shallow or squat to increase humidity
Butterworts require high humidity. Shallow, wide pots or terrariums help maintain moisture. Most butterworts need 2-4 inch pots. Larger Mexican butterworts need 4-6 inch pots.
Extra Tips for Potting CPs
Here are some additional useful tips when selecting pots for carnivorous plants:
- Make sure pots have at least one drainage hole to prevent root rot
- Short, squat pots help increase humidity for many CP species
- Opaque plastic pots prevent algae growth
- Mix and match pot sizes and shapes for visual interest
- Avoid pots wider than 6 inches for small-medium CP species
- Bigger isn’t always better – pot to the plant’s current size
- Group planters together to increase ambient humidity
With the right pots, your carnivorous plants will thrive for years to come. Focus on plastic and glazed ceramic pots with drainage holes. Consider the needs of each CP species when choosing pot sizes and shapes. Follow these tips to help your carnivores grow strong and stay healthy.
Frequency of Entities in Given URLs:
Plastic pots: 4
Glazed ceramic pots: 5
Unglazed terra cotta pots: 4
Venus flytraps: 5
Pitcher plants: 3
Sundews: 3
Butterworts: 3
Drainage holes: 5
Sphagnum peat moss: 2
Horticultural sand: 2
Perlite: 2
Use rainwater or distilled water to water your carnivorous plants.
Always using mineral-free water, as these two mentioned, is crucial to the health of these plants. Try keeping a bucket near the downspout to collect rainwater. Distilled water can be purchased at the grocery store in a gallon-size jug. Avoid using bottled water and tap water, as there are simply too many minerals in them. Carnivorous plants grow in nutrient-poor soils. The minerals from tap water can “over-fertilize” and “burn out” the plants.
If you re-pot yours (which you do not need to when you purchase, only if / when it outgrows its pot), use an approximately equal ratio of sphagnum peat moss and horticultural sand.
If you can’t find horticultural sand, playground sand will also work. But stay away from contractor sand and beach sand. (As people from Middle Tennessee who don’t live near the coast, we didn’t think of using beach sand ourselves, but we thought we’d let you know in case someone was saving some from a beach vacation.) Be sure to check the peat moss for “sphagnum”. Other types of peat moss (such as sedge) will not work. Because it contains minerals and fertilizers, regular potting soil won’t work for your plant that eats things. It will kill it in the end. Carnivorous plants naturally grow in poor soils. With the sphagnum peat moss and horticultural sand, you are giving them a natural environment that is more like the one they would find in the wild.
What Are The Best Pots To Use? – Carnivorous Plants
FAQ
Do carnivorous plants need deep pots?
What should carnivorous plants be planted in?
Can carnivorous plants be potted together?
Do carnivorous plants need repotting?
What are the best pot materials for carnivorous plants?
The best pot materials for carnivorous plants are glazed ceramic and plastic. Both of those materials do not leach any components to the sale, they do not absorb the moisture, and they provide insulation. Also, Styrofoam containers are an alternate option. They offer the same benefits and are inexpensive.
How to grow carnivorous plants in pots?
To grow carnivorous plants in pots, you can easily maintain the moisture, humidity level, warmth, and bog-like growing conditions. Here are some ideas and tips: 1. Create a low-maintenance mini-bog full of carnivorous plants in a container with this tutorial at BBG. 2. Grow pitcher plants in containers.
Are plastic pots good for carnivorous plants?
Plastic pots are best for carnivorous plants. They will not leach minerals into the soil like a terra-cotta or ceramic pot. A completely glazed ceramic pot will work, but plastic is best. The pot should have atleast one hole in the bottom. The size of the pot should be proportional to the plant.
How do you grow a carnivorous plant?
The tray or saucer method is the easiest way to do this. Simply place your pot in a tray or saucer filled with water. Depending on the type of carnivorous plant you decide to grow, you’ll need to keep an eye on the water levels.