Eden Project

Introducing… the meat-eating pitcher plant

As part of our Freaky Nature season, we introduce you to the weird and wonderful world of plants – poisonous ones, spiky ones, carnivorous ones and even exploding plants.

Today’s freaky specimen: Pitcher plant (Nepenthes)

This beautifully mottled pitcher plant hides a gruesome story of death. It actually grows jugs (or pitchers – hence the name) full of sticky goo at the end of its leaf tendrils, which act as insect traps.

As the bugs break down into a nutritious goo they’re absorbed by a series of glands inside the plant. Yum!

Watch out, we’ve got lots of pitcher plants at Eden…

Meet the other freaky plants in our series.

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Freaky Nature, Horticulture

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Freaky Nature, Horticulture, plants