I dont particularly like this time of the year. Not just because of how cold it is, or how little daylight there is (though I do hate the cold and minimal daylight), but because, as a carnivorous plant collector and enthusiast, my plants are dormant.
Due to the colder temperatures, shorter daylight hours and lack of insects, carnivorous plants die back until spring. Below, you can see the differences between dormant pitcher plants and pitcher plants in the middle of the growing season.
As you can see, most of the traps have died off (and been pruned), while growing a type of leaf called 'phyllodia', that are grown at the end of summer, and they are used for photosynthesis during the winter months.
Venus flytraps tend to look equally unhappy, as you will notice in the images below. In the top photo, and at the top of the bottom photo, are both 'Spider' venus flytraps. These are ones with long petiole's that look great in the summer, but during dormancy they flop down to preserve energy.
Cant wait till Spring!
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