Tropical and Carnivorous Plants

Pitcher Plants

With their blazing colours and striking foliage, this collection of carnivorous and tropical plants have to come first. This year's RHS Hampton judging panel agreed, awarding the carnivorous plant display the coveted 'Tudor Rose' award - the award given to the best of the Floral Gold Medal-winning marquee exhibits.

Tropical and Sub-Tropical Plants

There is a lot of competition where these plants come from - horticultural 'arms races' that reward colour and clever design. I can only imagine some of the swamps, jungles and plateaus these plants call home.

Pitcher Plant Detail...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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Contrasting greens and reds help draw insect attention to this pitcher plant's landing pad. Once inside, this carnivorous plant's hospitality runs out. Fine white hairs angle downwards towards a soup of rainwater, digestive acids and previous victims.

Phalaenopsis Jeanne Schreuder...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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The pink and white orchids from the French growers Vacherot and Lecoufle frame a colourful pelargonium display in the background.

Venus Fly Traps...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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As a mischevious child, I tried to grow Venus Fly Traps on more than one occasion. I had no luck but lots of fun prodding and placing flies in the traps.

Bladderwort...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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This Bladderwort is Utricularia Longifolia, a carnivorous plant native to Mexico. Bladderworts and their sticky brothers the Butterworts share two of my favourite plant names.

Hampshire Carnivourous Plants...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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This display of exotic insect-eating plants won Hampshire Carnivorous Plants another RHS gold medal and the coveted Tudor Rose Award in the floral marquee section.

Calathea Crocata Flower...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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Calathea Crocata comes from the Central American tropics, and is a herbaceous perennial whose large fiery orange flowers and tolerant nature make it an ideal house plant.

Codiaeum variegatum Icetone...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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This croton would have been a Moosey favourite with its colourful contrasting foliage. The Rentokil Tropical and Sub-Tropical Plant display was a favourite.

Monkey Cup Pitcher Plant...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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This Monkey Cup pitcher plant from the Hampshire Carnivorous Plants display caught my attention.

Sun Pitcher Plant...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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This Marsh Pitcher is Heliamphora Nutans and features striking redhead nectar spoons. It is commonly known as the Sun Pitcher Plant and is a high-altitude Venezuelan native. It caught my attention.

Guzmania Conifera...
Thu 15th Jul 2004
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A fiery Venezuelan plant that is the most popular Bromeliad in Europe. With its striking red and yellow flower spike its easy to see why. For further information about these plants visit the Bromeliad Society International website.