My new houseplants are hungry

[mount_oregano]

You may have noticed that the covers of Semiosis and Usurpation depict actual Earth plants. The tentacle on Semiosis belongs to a sundew, probably a Drosera filiformis. The leafy traps of a Venus fly trap, Dionaea muscipula, hang menacingly on the cover of Usurpation.

The art inspired me.

Since I love growing plants, I headed to my local garden center, one of Chicago’s best, and got several carnivores from its impressive selection to grace my home. These plants need plenty of sunshine, which I can easily provide.

They also need to eat, and my home doesn’t have bugs, so I visited a pet store. The reptile and fish section astounded me with the enormous variety of food insects, dead and alive. I bought some freeze-dried bloodworms, recommended for carnivorous plants. I’m also cultivating fruit flies from grocery-store bananas. Venus fly traps prefer food that moves.

I can’t decide if I feel murderous or nurturing.

Carnivory is not the worst thing a plant can do, according to the rainbow bamboo in Usurpation — but carnivory lets me actively participate in the doings of my plants.

Comments

[rachelmanija]

I adore these. They're so lush!

[mount_oregano]

Thank you! They're still small, though. I'm excited to see how they grow.