Welcome to the OSU Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens – an outdoor laboratory for teaching and research. Our mission is to provide an educational environment for all who visit.
Carnivorous Bog Garden What’s a Bog? Bogs are naturally occurring wet areas composed of slowly decaying sphagnum peat moss and sand. Slow moving water is also present, which carries away vital plant nutrients.
Why are Carnivorous plants Carnivorous? Nearly ALL carnivorous plants are native to bogs. Because of the low nutrient levels, bogs are difficult places for normal plant life to grow. Therefore, carnivorous plants evolved and adapted to supplement their diets with insects that could provide them with needed nutrients. In short, being carnivorous is like any other adaptation a plant species undergoes to survive; it just happens to be violently unorthodox.
The Venus Flytrap: Dionaea muscipula You will probably be disappointed to learn that these specimens are about as big as they get. It's adventurous to think that somewhere in the Amazon rain-forest there's a variety that can swallow entire humans with one bite. Unfortunately this isn’t true. Contrary to popular belief, Venus flytraps aren't tropical; they are actually native to the United States, specifically a small blob of land shared between North and South Carolina. This translates to Venus flytraps being cold hardy in Ohio, meaning they not only can survive through our cold winters but they actually need them for life- cycle purposes. That’s why if you've ever tried to grow a Venus flytrap as a house plant it's probably died because it needs a cold dormant period. Venus flytraps lure insects by secreting sweet nectar inside their mouths. As the insects move about, they bend two of the tiny trigger hairs within the trap. The trap then snaps shut and the plant begins its feast.
The American Pitcher Plant: Sarracenia Like the Venus flytrap, the American pitcher plant feasts on flies, gnats, moths, beetles and other insects, but it does it in a more subtle way. Light hits and travels through the “hood” covering the “pitcher” portion of the plant and creates the illusion of a succulent, nectar-rich flower. When the insect attempts to land on the pseudo flower, it falls into the “pitcher” portion of the plant which is lined with slippery liquid, making any attempt to escape futile. The insect eventually falls into the bottom of the pitcher, where acids and enzymes slowly digest it. Some tenderhearted gardeners have been known to rescue struggling yellow jackets that are being eaten alive. Rescue missions become more intense when it comes to pitch plant’s tropical species, which are large enough to devour small rodents.
The Sundews: Drosera The sundews are closely related to Venus flytraps but are actually more effective at catching prey. Sundews rely on an arsenal of stalk-like leaves. Each leaf has dozens of tendrils with droplets of sweet smelling adhesive glue on their tips. An insect lands on one of these tendrils and becomes stuck. The other tendrils wrap around the insect, slowly sucking it dry of its precious bodily fluids.
Thinking About Making Your Own Bog Garden? Bog gardens can be created either in the ground, or in a container such as ours. The recommended growing mix is half milled sphagnum peat which can be found in rectangular bales, and half silica(blasting) sand. Beach or sandbox sand is deadly to bog plants due to its soluble salt content. Gardeners should only use rain water when watering their personal bogs, as tap water contains minerals and chemicals that are harmful to most bog plants. Bog garden containers should be a minimum of 12” in depth. They also are unlikely to survive an Ohio winter, so should be stored in a location around 35 – 40 degrees during the winter. A garage or sun porch can meet these needs. Properly constructed bog gardens placed in the ground should be fully winter hardy.
Species/varieties presented Dionaea muscipula: Common Venus Flytrap Sarracenia leucophylla ‘Georgia Giant': White Hooded American Pitcher Plant Sarracenia leucophylla ex. Excambia County, FL: White Hooded American Pitcher Plant Sarracenia leucophylla ex. Liberty County FL: American Pitcher Plant (golden pitcher plant) Sarracenia Xmitchelliana: American Pitcher Plant Hybrid Drosera filiformis: Threadleaf Sundew Drosera rotundifolia: Common Sundew Aletris farinosa: Colicroot, Colicweed, Crow Corn, Unicorn Root (non-carnivorous bog plant)
It should be emphasized that all of the plants in this bog garden are native US species. Intrinsic and horticultural value aside, ecologically these are keystone species and symbols of modern conservation and restoration efforts.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?: Check out Peter D'amoto's book "The Savage Garden: Cultivating carnivorous plants" or contact me at [email protected]
Special thanks to Peter Zale, a PhD student at OSU, for giving Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens the specimens you see before you. Make sure to check out his blog at www.botanicazales.com Images provided by: “The Savage Garden: Cultivating carnivorous plants” by Peter D’amato and “A Textbook of Botany for Colleges and Universities” by John Merle, Charles Barnes and Henry Cowles.
Authored and prepared by: Tanner Douglas Cole, Student Research Assistant Oversight by: Kathy Burkholder, Learning Gardens Horticulturist OSU CHADWICK ARBORETUM & LEARNING GARDENS