Strasburger-House

The carnivorous plants could not survive in their extremely nutrient-poor habitats without the animal supplementary food. In the show house - behind glass - they grow together with the beautiful vellozias.

Carnivorous plants

As late as the 18th century, Carl von Linné thought that carnivorous plants could not exist because they were "against the order of nature as ordained by God". It took another hundred years until Charles Darwin could prove that they really exist.

Carnivorous plants are found all over the world. Their catching techniques have evolved very differently.

The sun pitchers (Heliamphora) have their home in the Guayana plateau in South America. A large collection can be admired in the Strasburger-House.

The fly catcher bush (Roridula gorgonias) is native to South Africa.  

The trumpet pitcher plants (Sarracenia) are native to North America. The white pitcher plant (Sarracenia leucophylla) grows over 1 meter high. Insects simply drop from the edge into the digestive fluid inside the tubular leaf.

Several other carnivore species grow in the field adjacent to the Strasburger-House and in the Crane Basin.

Sarracenia_leucophylla_I.Fuchs_Bild_2.jpg
White pitcher plant (Sarracenia leucophylla) © I. Fuchs
Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
Vellozia andina © W. Lobin / Universität Bonn

Vellozia (Velloziaceae)

The Strasburger greenhouse also houses our collection of Vellociaceae, which is unique in the world.

The pretty flowers of the shrubby plants are somewhat reminiscent of lilies. They come from South America and are very well adapted to dry locations.

The Vellociaceae belong to the plant order of the screw-pines (Pandanales). This is a very old order that has existed for about 120 million years.

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