For centuries, carnivorous plants have fascinated and mystified all who encounter them. Quite naturally it is a special thrill to grow these wonders of nature. Yet even experienced enthusiasts too often find a lovingly tended homegrown plant fading away without capturing a single insect.

Help is at hand in this comprehensive guide to identifying, understanding and successfully cultivating more than 600 species, hybrids and cultivars from all genera of carnivorous plants. Surprises abound to delight the reader, such as aquatic spiders that dive into carnivorous plants to steal their captured prey. Trapping mechanisms inspire awe, whether the snap-shut action of Dionaea and Aldrovanda, the slobber mucus glands of Drosophyllum, or the giant pitchers of Nepenthes that can trap and dissolve rodents. A comprehensive guide to identifying and growing carnivorous plants, including instructions on how to create pot habits or bog gardens. A directory giving details of over 600 species, hybrids and cultivars of carnivorous plants.

Information on the natural history of carnivorous plants: how they could have evolved, how they interact with insects and other animals and how the reader can view them in the wild. An encyclopedic look at our 200-year-old fascination with carnivorous plants, from our initial disbelief to the most recent finds.