These growing guides are about carnivorous plants that are generally easy to grow and are generally available either by seed from the ICPS Seed Bank, from plants from the many reputable carnivorous plant nurseries, and by trading plants and seeds with your friends. You are unlikely ever to find carnivorous plants by the six-pack in even the best nurseries. There are no common garden plants that are carnivorous. This is because most carnivorous plants in nature live in habitats very unlike your garden. Carnivorous plants evolved to live in habitats where other plants can not live or at least do not do well. But with a little special care many carnivorous plants can be easily grown and enjoyed in a garden setting, on your patio, or in your house.

The guides below have information about specific needs of the plants and typical ways of propagating them.

Fall pitchers of a red Sarracenia jonesii. The spring pitchers are upright unlike most most species in the S. rubra species group and heavily veined. Exact coloration is very dependent on light and temperature.

Species specific guides:

Byblis (Australian rainbow plant)

Cephalotus follicularis (West Australian pitcher plant)

Darlingtonia californica (Cobra lily)
      Darlingtonia Vegetative Propagation

Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap)
      Check List for Growing Dionaea muscipula
      Dionaea Leaf Pullings Step-by-Step

Drosera (Sundew)
      Growing guide by species
      Drosera Leaf Cuttings

      Topical Drosera
            Drosera adelae and sisters
            Drosera burmannii and D. sessilifolia
            Drosera indica
            Drosera petiolaris-group
      Subtropical Drosera
            Drosera capensis
            Drosera spatulata species group
      Winter growing subtropical Drosera
            Drosera glanduligera
            Pygmy Drosera
                 Pygmy mug shots 1, 2, 3, 4
            Tuberous Drosera
      Drosera regia
      Warm temperate Drosera
            Drosera binata
      Cold temperate Drosera
            Drosera filiformis and D. tracyi

Drosophyllum lusitanicum (Portugese dewey pine)

Genlisea (Corkscrew plant)

Heliamphora (Venezuelan Sun-pitcher plant)
      Heliamphora Leaf Pullings

Ibicella and Proboscidea (Devil's Claw, not a carnivorous plant)

Nepenthes (Tropical pitcher plant)
      Nepenthes Propagation via Stem Cuttings

Pinguicula (Butterwort)
      Growing guide by species

      Mexican Pinguicula
            Pinguicula Leaf Pullings
      Warm temperate Pinguicula
      Cold temperate Pinguicula
      Alpine Pinguicula

Roridula

Sarracenia (North American pitcher plant)
      Growing Sarracenia from Seed
      Making Sarracenia Hybrids

      Sarracenia alata
      Sarracenia flava
      Sarracenia leucophylla
      Sarracenia minor
      Sarracenia oreophila
      Sarracenia psittacina
      Sarracenia purpurea & S. rosea
      Sarracenia rubra complex

Utricularia (Bladderwort)

      Epiphytic Utricularia
      Terrestrial Utricularia

For more information please see:

Burdic, Douglas M. (1988) Propagation and Culture of Western North American Carnivorous Plants. Carniv. Pl. Newslett. 17(1):5-11 ( )

A World Of Pinguicula (website not affiliated with the ICPS)
If you are interested in growing Pinguicula, this is THE web site to check out. In particular you want to see the "Virtual visits" (visit is French for tour) and "Articles on or around Pinguicula". The Mexican Pinguicula are among the easiest carnivorous plants to grow. If you can grow African violets you can grow Mexican pings. The tours show you how world famous Pinguicula growers do it and the postcards from Mexico show and tell about plants in the wild.