Did you know that some plants eat special food? Sunlight is not enough for them and they lack the capacity to create their own food. That is why they prey on insects. They have a unique scent that attracts their small prey so they just sit and wait until they can gobble something up! Should you be afraid of these carnivorous plants too?

Learn about Florida's endemic carnivorous plants in this exciting book written for the budding naturalist and hobbyist. Florida has dozens of native species of carnivorous plants––more than any other state in the United States—including sundews, butterworts, bladderworts, and pitcher plants. These plants use appealing scents, leaves, and sticky fluids to trap and imprison insects. Digestive fluids then absorb the prey giving the plant its nutrients. Many of these plants can be grown at home in the backyard, in rain gardens, or in some cases on the windowsill. Florida’s Carnivorous Plants provides an identification and growing guide for the major genera of carnivorous plants found in Florida. Each species description includes etymology, a history of the plant’s discovery highlighting diverse scientists, anatomy, habitat range, and popular cultivars for beginners. Tables include soil requirements, types of potting, water level, amount of light, dormancy and temperature requirements, and propagation tips. A glossary provides readers with the tools to learn botanical jargon to improve their identification skills.

For use in schools and libraries only. Easy-to-read text explains how these unique plants attract, capture, and ingest their meals.

Plants only make their own food—right? Not pitcher plants! Most pitcher plants draw in insects with their sweet-smelling nectar and slowly digest them. There is one kind of pitcher plant that likes to snack on tree shrews, too. The bizarre eating habits of the pitcher plant are sure to fascinate and delight readers as they learn how this plant’s digestive system works, its habitat, and more. Full-color photographs and a simple diagram allow readers to see clearly the unique structures of this weird plant.

Plants only make their own food—right? Not pitcher plants! Most pitcher plants draw in insects with their sweet-smelling nectar and slowly digest them. There is one kind of pitcher plant that likes to snack on tree shrews, too. The bizarre eating habits of the pitcher plant are sure to fascinate and delight readers as they learn how this plant’s digestive system works, its habitat, and more. Full-color photographs and a simple diagram allow readers to see clearly the unique structures of this weird plant.

Explains how and why pitcher plants, sundews, and other carnivorous plants trap insects for food.