FAQ
FAQ: frequently asked questions about buying carnivorous plants. Shipping, payment and care of carnivorous plants.
Payment and shipping
I paid but didn't receive an order confirmation?
Then something may have gone wrong during the payment. If the order has not been received here and the amount has been debited from your account, the amount will automatically be refunded within a few working days. Please contact us to resolve this and proceed with the order.
When will I receive my order?
We ship every two weeks. Please see the homepage for the next delivery date. Once the plants have been dispatched, they will be delivered within 24-48 hours in Belgium and within 48 hours in the Netherlands. Plants are shipped as quickly as possible after ordering, but because they are living products, orders placed towards the end of the working week are sometimes only shipped on Monday to prevent them from being stored in a depot over the weekend. Usually, the order leaves here within 48 hours after payment, but in some cases (e.g., during busy periods), it can take up to 4 working days. If there is a delay, we will always notify you by email.
What are your opening hours?
We are only open by appointment. Please contact us for this.
Can I also pick up the plants?
Yes, this is possible in Tervuren (BE) or Renkum (NL). Please contact us for this.
My package was damaged, what now?
Please contact us as soon as possible and we can find a suitable solution. In case of damage to plants, we may request photographic evidence.
How can I pay?
During the ordering process on our website, you can pay with the most common payment methods, which are automatically displayed based on your location. For example, Ideal is automatically displayed for the Netherlands and Bancontact for Belgium, but other options such as PayPal and bank transfer are also possible. Specific payment methods are also available for other European countries. For a complete overview of payment methods and more information, see payment.
Which countries do you ship to?
We ship throughout the entire European Union. The packages can be tracked with track&trace and we guarantee the delivery of healthy plants.
How are the plants packaged?
Many plants are shipped bare-root and carefully packaged. Upon arrival, they need to be potted. The plants can withstand this shipping method and an additional benefit is that you can immediately give the plant your own preferred soil mix. Very sensitive plants such as Cephalotus are shipped potted. Carnivorous plants in the beginner category can also be shipped potted. In any case, each product page clearly states how the plant will be shipped: bare root or potted. For more information, see the shipping page.
Are Sarracenia pitchers trimmed?
No, the pitchers of Sarracenia are not cut off when the plants are shipped.
Can I put my plants outside right away?
If you have ordered subtropical plants such as Nepenthes or tropical sundew, these should, of course, be kept indoors. Hardy plants can be placed outdoors immediately upon arrival. However, you should be careful with full sun during the first week (for Sarracenia & Dionaea). To prevent leaf burn, acclimate the plants to the sun and let them absorb water first. If you purchase plants in early spring, you also need to be careful with late frost. For example, with Sarracenia, the pitchers in the conservatory (greenhouse) are already much further along than outdoors, and while the plant itself is frost-resistant, these new pitchers are not resistant to late night frost.
Care of carnivorous plants
Which carnivorous plants are easy to care for?
We have a category with carnivorous plants for beginners; these plants have been selected for their vigorous growth and resilience.
Should you feed carnivorous plants?
In most cases, this is not necessary. Plants that catch many prey often grow better. Plants that are outdoors or in a grow tent or conservatory will always catch enough on their own. The plants can also go months without food, and they are also quite efficient at catching prey, so supplementary feeding is almost never needed. Of course, you can always feed your carnivorous plants, preferably with live insects. Even easier is to use our coated fertilizer for carnivorous plants.
Which soil do I use for carnivorous plants?
The substrate or soil mix must be low in nutrients and have a low pH (acidic). Blond peat or sphagnum peat is excellent as a soil mix for all carnivorous plants. You can optionally mix in perlite to make the mixture airier. You can buy this carnivorous plant soil from us. For tropical species such as Nepenthes, you can also use dried Sphagnum as a soil mix. You can also find more information on our website about the care of carnivorous plants.
Winter dormancy, what is it?
Some plants native to the Northern Hemisphere go dormant in winter. This means they stop growing and sometimes even die back almost completely above ground. Some carnivorous plants, such as Sarracenia, also produce winter leaves. You can learn more about this on our carnivorous plants care page.
My sundew isn't producing dew?
This is usually because the plant gets too little light or tap water. Another cause could be that the plant has just been moved to a new location and still needs to adapt. Anyway, placing the plant under a cloche is usually not a good idea. If the sun shines on a cloche, it will get too hot for the plant and the CO2 will also run out. This is only a good idea for sundew species that prefer less light (e.g., Queensland sundew, D. prolifera, D. adelae, and D. schizandra).
Why is my Venus flytrap dying?
Your plant probably isn't getting enough light, or it isn't getting the right soil or water. Check out our care tips.
Are carnivorous plants difficult to care for?
Fortunately, most carnivorous plants are easy to care for as long as you meet a few basic needs. There are also many types of carnivorous plants that can grow perfectly well outdoors all year round, and some types are suitable for year-round display on a windowsill. For more information, see the care of carnivorous plants.
Should I fertilize my plants?
Carnivorous plants do not need to be fertilised. They have evolved in nutrient-poor soils and catch insects to obtain extra nutrients. Fertilising your carnivorous plant can even kill it. More information about fertilising carnivorous plants.
How much water can I give my carnivorous plants?
In general, most carnivorous plants can be kept quite wet in a saucer with about two centimeters of water, but because carnivorous plant species are found all over the world, there are some small differences per species. Therefore, please refer to our carnivorous plant care guide.
Can I plant carnivorous plants directly in the ground?
No, normal soil almost always contains too many nutrients for carnivorous plants. Carnivorous plants need nutrient-poor, acidic and well-moistened soil.
My Nepenthes isn't making pitchers?
This has two possible causes. The first cause is that the plant is not getting enough light. Nepenthes prefers a bright location but not in direct sunlight (indirect sunlight). If the plant is in full shade, it will only produce ordinary leaves without pitchers in order to capture more sunlight. If the plant does receive enough light, then the cause is a much too low humidity.
How do you overwinter carnivorous plants?
This depends on the species. Check our care page for carnivorous plants for handy care tips per species.
About carnivorous plants
Are carnivorous plants toxic to cats or dogs?
No, currently there are no known carnivorous plant species that are toxic to cats or dogs. However, some species can cause mild stomach irritation. Of course, it is better to place the carnivorous plants in a location where cats cannot reach them, as cats are curious, and it would be a shame if your plant were eaten.
What types of carnivorous plants are there?
Carnivorous plants are found all over the world except for Antarctica! On our website, you can find more information about the different types of carnivorous plants and how they catch their prey.
Which carnivorous plants eat mosquitoes, fruit flies, or flies?
In some situations, carnivorous plants can catch pesky insects such as flies, cockroaches, and wasps. However, these plants will rarely solve a pest problem. Most carnivorous plants will mainly catch flies. Mosquitoes are caught less often because they are not attracted to carnivorous plants. For indoors, some types of carnivorous plants such as sundews (e.g., Drosera capensis) may occasionally catch mosquitoes because they have a sticky substance on their leaves, but this is more coincidental. As a result, sundews are also best suited for catching fruit flies and fungus gnats indoors. For catching flies outdoors, almost all Sarracenia (trumpet pitcher plant) species are well-suited, as well as Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap). Especially Sarracenia can catch enormous quantities of flies.
Other questions
A plant is out of stock, when will it be back in stock?
You can leave your email address on the product page and we will contact you as soon as the plant is back in stock.
What do KD and SG mean?
KD is a code from our own numbering system; it is a vegetatively propagated plant (clone) that is also in our own collection. SG stands for seed-grown, meaning it is a plant grown from seed. Plants grown from seed can look different due to genetic variation.
