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Carnivorous Plants/Intelligent Plant Light

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Expert: - 5/22/2007


Question
Hello  I have a question about the Intelligent Plant Light I seen on bugbitingplants. It says that it has a 9 watt full spectrum fluorescent bulb and is great for venus fly traps. I was just curious if that would be any where near enough lights for the plants. Its not real cheap either so was wondering before I waste money. My outdoor plants are great but it would be nice to have one inside with my pitchers.   thanks

Answer
Hello Brian,

When I see something that is too good to be true, it usually is. Personally, I just bought two 40 watt shop light fixtures, the double tube variety florescents, and a Christmas tree light timer. Total cost of about 24 dollars and provides 12000 lumens to the minute 500 lumens a 9 watt florescent would. Venus Flytraps require a minimum of 12000 lumens to even properly develop leaves and flower half decently and even then grow much more slowly and are less healthy than if they were in full sun outside. In any case, don't go for all the bells and whistles like humidity domes and computerized timers for watering and lighting. They just pump up the cost and reduce the health of the plant in the long run, perpetuating the myths that surround carnivorous plant cultivation.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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