Unusual Houseplants
Venus Flytraps, Pregnant Onions, Sensitive Plants, and More
Ask someone to name a houseplant, and they'll probably mention the old standbys such as Pothos, Swedish Ivy, and Philodendron. Here are a few of the lesser known ones!
In honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday, let’s take a look at some spooky and unusual houseplants:
Venus Fly Trap- This unusual plant delights children in the way it feeds itself. It is what’s known as a carnivorous plant. It actually eats insects! The plant consists of a rosette of heart shaped, hinged leaves. Each leaf is edged with “teeth” and secretes a sweet smelling nectar. When an insect lands on one of them, it snaps shut, trapping it. Special juices then go to work to dissolve it and absorb the nutrients. It also accepts small bits of very lean raw meat (never hamburger). To grow indoors you’ll need a terrarium or very humid room. Provide very bright light and if not in a terrarium, keep the soil moist at all times(place the pot on a tray of pebbles with about an inch of water) during the growing season. If you do keep it in a terrarium you’ll have to provide food for it. Two or three dead flies or insects a month is normal-just be sure they weren’t killed by insecticides. Fly Traps do go dormant for several months, and when this happens (Nov-March) most of the foliage will die off. Move the container to a cool (45 to 50 degrees) area and let rest. Since these plants are very sensitive to chemicals, water only with distilled or rain water.
Living Stones- This plant got its name because it doesn’t look like a plant at all. It looks like a collection of rocks in dirt. Yet it is very much alive. The “stones” are actually a pair of very thick leaves fused together with a small slit at the top. They are extremely slow growers and only get to around 2 inches in height but come in an array of colors and patterns. Water sparingly during the growing season and keep dry in the winter. In autumn bright colored daisy like flowers appear.
Pregnant Onion- This plant isn’t pretty, but it’s quite interesting. It gets its name from the bulb it grows from. This bulb sits on top of the soil and looks like a white onion. Don’t be fooled however-all parts of this plant are poisonous. The pregnant part comes from its habit of producing babies from that bulb. It also produces long green strap like leaves and profuse amounts of small white flowers with green stripes. It needs bright light and average humidity. Let the soil dry out between waterings, and keep the plant out of high traffic areas, as the leaves are very fragile.
Sensitive Plant- This plant is a favorite of children due to its curious reaction to being touched. Stroke the leaves (actually a collection of very fine leaflets) and they will immediately fold up and “wilt” in seconds. (The plant will recover a short time later). This plant is easy to grow from seed and grows quickly, producing fuzzy pink flowers. Give it bright light and keep the soil moist.
