Plants with bite display launched in The Calyx at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

A new exhibition showing how carnivorous plants can thrive in inhospitable environments by luring, trapping, killing and digesting insects is set to open at The Calyx in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney from 1st October 2018.

Curated by the Garden’s Director of Horticulture, Jimmy Turner, Plants with Bite tells the story of the captivating and bizarre world of carnivorous plants. As fascinating as they are horrifying, these plants are truly a miracle of evolution.

Turner explains “Plants with Bite celebrates the weird and wonderful aspects of flora. Visitors can expect to get up close and learn about these unique plants and see the different types of traps carnivorous plants use to kill prey.

“Combining botany with hands-on activities, an augmented reality app, a Snapchat filter, a range of workshops and of course the display itself - made up of 25,000 plants, visitors of all ages and interests will fall in love with the Plants with Bite experience.”

Carnivorous plant experts such as Greg Bourke, conserve and catalogue carnivorous plants to ensure that as many as possible are safe for future generations to enjoy.

Bourke adds “just like many other groups of plants, carnivorous plants face many threats in the wild.

“Through displays such as Plants with Bite, we want to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists and horticulturists but also shed light on the active conservation and scientific work happening now around the globe to protect these plants.”