Savage Garden: Installing a Carnivorous Plant Bog

MOSI Outside is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibit inside the BioWorks Butterfly Garden: the Coleman-Lienhart Savage Garden, containing carnivorous plants from around the world and wetlands plants from closer to home.

This exhibit has been under development for some time, but installation began in earnest in February 2015 with the addition of a large raised display area just outside the Flight Encounter. This display was designed to hold the plants in pots on a grid in varying depths of water, since most carnivorous plants grow in wetlands and bogs.

Once the basic support system was in place, we began adding some structural elements to add interest to the area. Running through the entire exhibit is a large piece of grapevine wood, cut from MOSI's Backwoods Nature Preserve. We attached various epiphytes to this grapewood, including native tillandsias, ball moss, and Spanish moss. Though not carnivorous, these plants add to the appeal of the exhibit, helping to round out the ecosystem. We also added rocks and logs to enhance the overall look.

The next step was adding irrigation, generously sponsored in part by Worm's Way. Carnivorous plants are extremely specific with their water needs, and we can't use regular water from the tap or even well water to take care of these plants. The large pond in BioWorks contains only rainwater, and preliminary tests indicated this water should be able to support the plants. Rick from Worm's Way installed a powerful pump to pull water from the pond into the exhibit and keep it cycling through; this will help keep the water temperature cool enough in the summer that the plants can tolerate it. Rick also installed micro-irrigation (again using rainwater from the pond) on a timer to provide misting for the plants from above.

With all of this in place, it was finally time to add the carnivorous plants. We worked with California Carnivores, a large and reputable supplier of carnivorous plants, to assemble a collection of plants that are likely to do well in Florida. We wanted representatives from each major group, including pitcher plants, sundews, butterworts, bladderworts, and flytraps. Our order arrived in the mail in 9 large boxes, with each plant carefully packaged to protect it on its journey across the country.

We carefully unpacked each plant and set them into trays filled with sphagnum moss. Because of the very specific requirements of these plants, mostly found in acidic boggy soils, we couldn't use traditional potting soil or other planting media. Instead, the plants remained in the pots we received them in, and sphagnum moss was packed around them to hold them in place.

Most of these plants arrived in a dormant state, just starting to wake up after their winter resting period. But we were assured that carnivorous plants grow quickly once they get started, and we have certainly found that to be true. Within a few days, these plants were growing inches overnight, throwing up large flower stalks and showing signs of thriving. It was time to set them in place in the exhibit.

To make it easier for guests to see the different kinds of plants, we grouped them by type. The right side of the exhibit contains Sarracenia species, known as pitcher plants. The left side contains a large patch of Venus Flytraps (Dionaea muscipula), along with Sundews (Drosera), Butterworts (Pinguicula), and Bladderworts (Utricularia). Hanging above these is a large Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes), donated by exhibit sponsor Jeanne Coleman. The trays of plants sit directly in varying levels of water, as they would in their natural bog environment.

We rounded out the display with a variety of other plants found in bogs and wetlands, including Florida natives like Golden Canna (Canna flaccida), Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia), Aquatic Milkweed (Asclepias perennis), and Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).

We created durable plant labels using travertine subway tile, purchased in mosaic sheets at our local home improvement store and pulled apart from their mesh backing. The lettering was done with oil-based Sharpies, and once dry, it is weather and fade-resistant.

Finally, the sign was installed along the front edge of the exhibit itself, providing guests with basic information about the plants displayed here. We also created a one-page brochure guests can take home with them, offering some information on growing carnivorous plants at home as well as fun activities for kids. (Print your own copy here.)

The Savage Garden @ MOSI Outside is a living experiment. Carnivorous plants are notoriously tricky to grow outside of their native habitat, so we expect to have both successes and failures in the months head. It will be a learning experience for the staff at MOSI Outside, as we work to understand and care for these fascinating plants from around the world. Learn more about carnivorous plants here, and check back often for updates on our new exhibit!