What are the Characteristics of Carnivorous Plants?

Carnivorous plants are some special plants which can be grown in your home garden. They are insect eating plants which attract, capture, kill and digest them. These plants have some special physical and functional characteristics.

They have the ability to capture and kill the prey. They use some special characteristics to trap the insect. They have a glue which is a sticky mucilage that attracts insects. Some carnivorous plants increase their efficiency for trapping insects by olfactoric stimulation, colors, windows and entrapping hair. Special extrafloral nectaries are present in some insect eating plants. These are the nectar producing glands which do not promote pollination. Venus flytrap, a carnivorous plant, has brightly colored mouth-shaped leaf which encloses flies or other insects that fit in the trap.

The main characteristic of a carnivorous plant is to have the ability to digest the insects. Some carnivorous plants use digestive enzymes to kill the insect. Some take help of symbiotic attack bugs or insects which live on the plant and attack other species of insects. However, some plants use bacteria or other living organisms like fungi, algae and nematodes to dispose of and digest the prey. The plants derive many benefits from killing the prey. However, they amount to the increase in nutrients and minerals such as carbon, magnesium, nitrogen and phosphorous.

When compared to the actual size of plants, these plants have smaller and weaker root systems. Carnivorous plants are mostly perennials. However, there are a few exceptions. They generally grow from 12 inches to 3 feet tall. However, in tropics, they can grow up to 6 feet tall. Add any of the different kinds of carnivorous plants to your garden to have a beautiful look. They also keep any unwanted insects and pests away from the garden.

Elegant Terrace Gardening Ideas

Gardening at your open place or yard is common. Plan a unique style of gardening in your terrace. You have various terrace gardening ideas to create a space for enjoying your terrace and open area in cool atmosphere.

Draping or trailing plants such as ground covers or vines are perfect for terrace gardens. You can even create themed gardens like butterfly gardens, rose gardens and so on. Themed garden with a single colored flowering plants accentuates your terrace area. Even vegetable spread can be opted for this type of garden. Enough valuable space is available for growing vegetables in terrace gardening. Onions, peppers and tomatoes grow well in terrace gardens in full sunlight. However, easy access to watering, weeding and harvesting should be ensured. Hence, effective planning is necessary to create a vegetable garden on your terrace.

Container gardens also work well with terrace gardening. Different varieties of containers arranged in creative designs add aesthetics to the terrace. The choice ranges from wooden barrels, plastic pots to coconut-fiber-lined wrought iron plant stands. Arrange a trellis or a pergola and grow attractive vines along them.

Apart from greenery, decorative elements should not be forgotten to upgrade the visual appeal. Smaller water features like contain water garden can be included in your terrace garden. Special water plants like water hyacinth and cattails planted in the water features give more charming and cool appearance. However, it is important to consider the size and accessibility of terrace. Small ponds, fountains or birdbaths can also be included. Cozy seating arrangements with soft cushions, accent tables and other decorative pieces further beautify your garden.