Growing guide

How to grow carnivorous plants

Carnivorous plants are fascinating, strangely beautiful and highly collectable. There are many different types, from Venus flytraps to pitcher plants, which use a range of methods to catch their prey. Most like damp conditions and special low-nutrient compost, and can be grown indoors and sometimes outdoors.

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Quick facts

  • Several are easy to grow 
  • Need special low nutrient compost and damp conditions 
  • Some suitable for indoors, outdoors, or both 
  • Plant outdoors in spring
  • Suitable for various light levels
  • Make new plants from cuttings or seeds 
  • An RHS research experiment shows Sarracenia excel in peat-free growing media 

All you need to know

Before you get started
Planting
Ongoing care
Pruning and training
Propagating
Problems
While we think all this information will be helpful to you, we always recommend to read the instruction labels on your plants.

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.