FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello there,
I've read that only one species of Heliamphora can produce their own digestion emzyme and that other Heliamphoras need help from a bacteria to digest insects.
Does this mean that most Heliamphoras that are kept in homes can't digest at all insects?

I'm pretty sure that it's not just one species of bacteria and I dont think they're sterilized when they're cultivated either

It's literally ONE (Source: Wikipedia[Don't know how true that can be])

The bacteria that will lead to decomposition come in on the bodies of the insects, so you will have no problems feeding heliamphora in cultivation. Also, diluted fertilizers dripped into the pitchers work very well. Right now I'm dropping in full-strength orchid fertilizer solution and my Heli's are happy and growing.

From The Savage Garden:

Also I give mine Maxsea, as a foliar spray AND as drops in the pitchers.


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Bacteria tend to find their way into everything. Even if it isn't the same bacteria that assist the plants in the wild, a species capable of assisting digestion will end up in the pitchers. I should also note that the plants need bacteria to digest Maxsea too, since the nitrogen is locked up in urea and can't be absorbed directly.

nimbulan wrote:Bacteria tend to find their way into everything. Even if it isn't the same bacteria that assist the plants in the wild, a species capable of assisting digestion will end up in the pitchers. I should also note that the plants need bacteria to digest Maxsea too, since the nitrogen is locked up in urea and can't be absorbed directly.

Well then mine have bacteria cause it definitely helps.


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Dumb question but does it get smelly?

Sakaaaaa wrote:Dumb question but does it get smelly?

no


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Sakaaaaa wrote:Dumb question but does it get smelly?

Not being able to smell, but curious, do loaded sarracenia plants get smelly? It would seem like it, thats a lot of decaying matter.

ArowanaLover1902 wrote: Not being able to smell, but curious, do loaded sarracenia plants get smelly? It would seem like it, thats a lot of decaying matter.

They can, yes. I haven't noticed it being much of a problem myself even with hundreds of full pitchers in close proximity, but I do still smell it occasionally.