The five key elements for indoor plants to thrive
When I was young, my father used to keep a bonsai and a pot of mini bamboo in the living room, they were static forever, tranquil yet lifeful. Our house plants run in a routine for years, a tray of…
Under-discovered Carnivorous Plants
Besides the common carnivorous plants, there are many obscure carnivorous plants. Those under-discovered carnivorous plants are considered as protocarnivorous plants and sometimes referred to as paracarnivorous, subcarnivorous or borderline carnivores plants. Plant in this category is slightly different from carnivorous…
Aldrovanda vesiculosa, the waterwheel that is not powered by water
Utricularia is a semi-aquatic carnivorous plant that can grow in the terrestrial or aquatic environment. There is another exotic aquatic carnivorous plant, Aldrovanda vesiculosa. It is first observed in India in the sixteenth century. It is a true aquatic carnivore…
Succulents, the most “suc”-cessful plants
Succulent, the most “suc”-cessful survivor that can be found in arid areas such as desert when nothing is found. Then how about cactus, the most famous desert plant? Well, succulent commonly named as xerophytes, xeros means dry, because of their…
Cephalotus – the smallest pitcher plant
Background The smallest carnivorous pitcher is the west Australian pitcher plant, Cephalotus follicularis. It is one of the most desired carnivorous plants in the collection as well as cultivation. Cephalotus is a thumb-size pitcher of compact growth up to two…
Phytochemicals – a colorful rainbow that is edible
Natural light separates into seven different colors through a prism, which is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. Luckily these are the colors you can find on your dinner table, a full spectrum of the rainbow that is…
Utricularia – the smallest but fastest carnivorous plant
There is the various size of the carnivorous plant, but there is a carnivorous plant that does not look like one due to its tiny size and hidden preying mechanism. This species of Utricularia is under the family of Lentibulariaceae…
Pitcher plants – the “reed pipe” in nature
Background Pitcher plants are scattered around the world. Apart from Nepenthes and Darlingtonia, there are two more pitchers with different genus that are generally known as the American pitcher plants. Namely, Sarracenia and Heliamphora that both under the family of…