Spring Flowers in a Carnivorous Plants Bog

Jill StaakeJill StaakeUpdated: Apr. 24, 2020

The spring flowers of carnivorous plants like Venus Flytraps and Sundews are lovely in their own right.

Spring means flowers just about everywhere, and that includes carnivorous plant bogs. I help to maintain a carnivorous plants display at the museum where I work, and watching the various plants show off their spring flowers is always impressive. Carnivorous plants usually throw their flowers high into the air so that the insects who do the pollinating don’t get stuck in the plants’ traps before they can get the job done. Here are some of the flowers you’ll find on carnivorous plants.

Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) flowers tower above the traps themselves about 12 inches below.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
The white flowers of the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) bloom in the spring, often before new traps begin to emerge.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
The flowers of sundews (Drosera) can stretch at least 18 inches above the sticky traps below.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
Sundew (Drosera) flowers grow on tall stalks that are sticky like their trap counterparts below.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia) die back to the ground in the winter. Their tall unusual flowers emerge first in the spring, before new traps begin to grow.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia) have unusual downward facing flowers, which are often pollinated by flies.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
Primrose Butterwort (Pinguicula primuliflora) can bloom year-round, but the blooms are especially prolific in the spring.
Spring Flowers Carnivorous Plants Bog
The sticky stalks of Primrose Butterwort (Pinguicula primuliflora) can also capture and digest small insects like ants and gnats.

Interested in growing your own carnivorous plants? Learn about Venus Flytraps, sundews, and pitcher plants here.

Originally Published: March 30, 2016

Jill Staake
Jill Staake
Jill lives in Tampa, Florida, and writes about gardening, butterflies, outdoor projects and birding. When she's not gardening, you'll find her reading, traveling and happily digging her toes into the sand on the beach.