Cultivating Carnivorous Plants (2015)
GENLISEA
Genlisea violacea plant showing both the white underground traps
and the green, aboveground photosynthetic “leaves.”21
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CULTIVATING CARNIVOROUS PLANTS
The genus Genlisea, commonly known as “Corkscrew
Plants,” consists of 31 species of small, rosetted plants
native to South America and Africa. Despite being
identified as possibly carnivorous by Charles Darwin,
they were not proved to be carnivorous until 1998.
Two species, Genlisea margaretae and Genlisea aurea, have
the smallest known genomes of all flowering plants.
Genlisea have two types of leaves: the small,
green, roundish, photosynthetic leaves that grow in a
small rosette, and the white, subterranean, carnivorous
leaves that give the genus its common name. The
carnivorous leaves begin as long tubes that branch at
hollow, bulb-like growths called “utricles.” Below
these utricles, the tubes split into two branches. Each
branch consists of a furrowed spiral, with the furrows
having hairs pointing towards the utricle. A small
opening allows prey creatures to enter the trap itself,
after traveling along the furrows.
As with Utricularia, Genlisea do not have roots.
Instead, the white carnivorous leaves serve to anchor
the plant to their growing medium. In some
conditions, these can also float freely in water,
catching a different set of prey than is present in the
soil.
Genlisea aurea flowers.22
Most species of Genlisea have either purple or yellow flowers. Some are self-fertile, whereas others
require some stimulation to set seed. Perhaps most interesting among the genus is Genlisea glabra, which has
flowers remarkably similar to those of Utricularia amethystina. Both grow atop the Tepuis of South America, an
area with few pollinators. It is theorized that these two plants share the same pollinator.
In Cultivation
Many species of the genus Genlisea grow as annuals during
the wet season in cooler, montane areas. Most grow as small,
non-spreading rosettes. Therefore, the best way to propagate
them is either through leaf-pullings or via seed. Leaf-pullings
have a lower success rate than with Pinguicula, but they are
usually fairly successful if a bit of the whitish leaf base is still
attached to the photosynthetic leaf.
Genlisea are fairly unique among carnivorous plants as their
trapping mechanism makes them amenable to set-ups that
submerge the trapping mechanism but allow growers to view it.
The easiest way to create such a set-up is to pot the plant in a
small net pot and fit that pot over a jar or clear container, which
The light yellow flowers of
can be placed in an opaque container. Fill the jar with water.
Genlisea filiformis.23
Within a few months, the white carnivorous leaves will have
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NATCH GREYES
grown through the openings in
the net pot and into the water.
G. hispidula
Genlisea hispidula is among the
most commonly seen Genlisea in
cultivation. As with most species
of Genlisea, it is not as commonly
cultivated as it once was (during
the mid-2000s). Still, it is not an
uncommon plant in cultivation.
Like other Genlisea species,
Genlisea hispidula does well in
terrariums. Almost submerging
this species in water is best.
Submersion appears to trigger
flowering in some clones of
Genlisea hispidula.
Genlisea repens “leaves,” which are very similar to the
If placing Genlisea hispidula in
a terrarium is not possible, watch
“leaves” of every other member of the genus Genlisea.24
for signs of low-humidity stress.
In low-humidity conditions, it will produce fewer leaves and is unlikely to flower. Note, however, that
flowering does take a toll on this species, and naturally results in the loss of a fair number of green
photosynthetic leaves. The flowers of this species are self-fertile, and the tiny black seeds will spill from the
seed capsule as it unwinds after the seed has fully matured.
My standard growing guide for Genlisea follows:
✵
Media: Live sphagnum or long-fiber sphagnum seems to work best, but they will tolerate a peat-
heavy peat-to-sand mix. I am not aware of anyone using ferricrete in cultivation.
✵
Moisture: Most Genlisea grow in environments that are frequently flooded during the growing season.
As such, the water level should be kept high, and the pots should be flooded occasionally.
✵
Humidity: Humidity should be high, as this genus is used to transitioning between flooding and
barely moist medium. Some species, such as Genlisea aurea, can produce a gelatin which covers their
leaves. This gelatin will not be produced when humidity is too low.
✵
Pot Size: Genlisea is not particular about pot size. One popular method of growing the genus is to
suspend a net pot in a container full of water and shade the water container. That way, the traps will
grow through the holes in the net pot and into the water, allowing the grower to show them off.
✵
Feeding: It is hard to tell whether a foliar fertilizer is beneficial as with terrestrial Utricularia because
Genlisea do not tend to spread except by seed.
✵
Temperature: Genlisea seem to prefer temperatures in the 60° - 80° F (16° - 27° C) range, but they can
tolerate temperatures both lower and higher than that range.
✵
Dormancy: Dormancy is not required for Genlisea. Several months after germination, annual species
will die after going to seed. Perennial species should be kept in the same conditions year round.
✵
Propagation: Genlisea are best propagated via seed but can be propagated by leaf-pullings. Seed does
not require any kind of stratification. Leaf-pullings should be made to lay flat on the media and
covered with a pinch of media.
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CULTIVATING CARNIVOROUS PLANTS
The following table of all known Genlisea species includes their distribution and cultivation type in order
to facilitate thoughts on care:
Species
Distribution
Flower Color
Habitat
Dembos, ephemeral flush vegetation on slopes of
inselbergs, and in wet ferricrete soils at altitudes
africana
Africa
Purple
from 3,937 - 4,921 ft. (1,200 - 1,500 m).
angolensis
Africa
Purple
Ferricrete soils near rivers.
Sandstone highlands among grasses in water-logged
seepages, usually submerged, in black humus-rich
aurea var.
soil at altitudes from 1,804 - 8,366 ft. (550 - 2,550
minor
South America
Yellow
m).
Sandstone highlands among grasses in water-logged
seepages, usually submerged, in black humus-rich
soil at altitudes from 1,804 - 8,366 ft. (550 - 2,550
aurea var. aurea South America
Yellow
m).
Ephemeral flush vegetation of inselbergs of Guinea,
growing on the slopes only during the few weeks of
barthlottii
Africa
Purple
the wet season, when water floods the slopes.
Lithophyte near Fumaça waterfall at around an
exhibitionista
South America
Light Purple
altitude of 2,822 ft. (860 m).
South America,
Sandy, marshy highlands at altitudes of 3,937 - 4,757
filiformis
Cuba
Light Yellow
ft. (1,200 - 1,450 m).
Among grasses; often confused with G. violacea, but
flexuosa
South America
Purple
with twining inflorescences.
Light Purple to Inselbergs, where it grows with U. amethystina and
glabra
South America
Pink
has very similar flowers.
glandulosissima Africa
Tiny, Greenish Bogs with ferricrete soils.
guianensis
South America
Light Purple
Fixed-aquatic.
Wet swamps, bogs and seepage areas, ferricretes,
sphagnum cushions, and as an affixed aquatics in
Purple and
marshy streams from sea level to an altitude of
hispidula
Africa
White
8,858 ft. (2,700 m).
White with
lobata
South America
Purple
Cool, montane habitats.
Africa,
Nutrient poor wet areas on monadnocks
margaretae
Madagascar
Purple
(inselbergs), ferricretes, and swamps.
Noticeable metallic shine on the flowers, forming a
metallica
South America
Purple
corm to survive dry periods.
Lithophyte within the sprays of waterfalls and on
nebulicola
South America
Light Purple
rock surfaces.
Tepuis in swamps and southeast facing slopes at
nigrocaulis
South America
Yellow
around an altitude of 5,249 ft. (1,600 m).
In well-drained, sandy soil among tall grasses in
oligophylla
South America
Light Purple
areas that are only slightly moist in the dry season.
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NATCH GREYES
South America,
oxycentron
Trinidad
Yellow
Grassy, white sand savannas.
Yellow with
pallida
Africa
Purple
Permanently wet peat bogs.
pulchella
South America
Light Yellow
Moist sandy and gravelly places.
Wet, partly flooded sandy soils in a lake or swamp
areas and on sandstone rocks found at an altitude
pygmaea
South America
Yellow
from 2,953 - 4,593 ft. (900 - 1,400 m).
Affixed-aquatic in mountainous areas at an altitude
repens
South America
Yellow
from 1,640 - 3,937 ft. (500 - 1,200 m).
roraimensis
South America
Yellow
Tepuis alongside Heliamphora and other carnivores.
sanariapoana
South America
Light Purple
Wet areas among grasses.
stapfii
Africa
Purple
Wet, rocky areas among grasses.
White with
Ferricrete soils in wet depressions and marshes;
subglabra
Africa
Purple
associated with Cyperus.
White with
subvirdis
Africa
Purple Veining Among grasses.
Herbarium material from Moxico, Angola in
taylorii
Africa
Purple
ferricrete soils in wet depressions.
Campos Rupestres montane savanna of central and
eastern Brazil at an altitude from 2,300 - 6,600 ft.
tuberosa
South America
Yellow
(700 - 2,000 m).
Campos Rupestres montane savanna in moist
sand/peaty soil mixtures at an altitude from 5,249 -
uncinata
South America
Light Purple
6,600 ft. (1,600 - 2,000 m).
Sandy, quartz-based peaty soils atop quartz at
violacea
South America
Purple
around an altitude of 5,906 ft. (1,800 m).
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