Plant research

My Tutor has given me a wonderful list of plants to look at and take into consideration for the design of my pot plant character. From these plants I will take what I need to apply to the character I was designing beforehand.

• Nepenthes

"Nepenthes come in two distinct types, the highland and the lowland. These plants are commonly known as pitcher plants or monkey cups as the tips of some leaves form jug like structures which hold a digestive liquid ready for the unsuspecting prey to fall in to. Generally speaking the lowland types of Nepenthes have larger and more colourful 'pitchers' than the highland species but they require more cultivation than their highland cousins. Typically these plants come from place where the temperature is high as is the humidity level - places like Madagascar, Borneo and Thailand where they grow along side orchids such as Angraecum and tropical amphibians such as Mantella."

Also showing the characteristic that could be a reason as to why my pot plant is so full of himself and wants his own way all the time comes directly from this next quote:

"You can recreate their natural habitat in a variety of ways including greenhouse growing and large terrariums which look magnificent in the home - and are quite a talking point!"

Quotes taken from http://www.easycarnivores.co.uk/site/content/view/15/29/

• Sarracenia

"Sarracenia's are native to North America with most species being found in the south eastern states of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and the Carolina's.
Sarracenia's can vary in form and shape from one species to another, but basically they all share a common method of attracting and capturing insects. The plant basically consists of a trumpet like pitcher arising from a rhizome, the mouth of the pitcher is covered by a hood. The height of the various species can vary from several cm to over 1 metre, Along the hood and the mouth of the pitcher is secreted a nectar like substance that attracts both crawling and flying insects."

Quote taken from http://www.carnivorous-plants.co.uk/sarracenia/homepage.asp

Notice how the quote mentions how the plant has a "mouth", another interesting point which could be physically manipulated into a characters mouth.

• Venus - Fly - Trap

"Darwin was fascinated by carnivorous plants in general and the Venus flytrap in particular, I think, partly because they go against type," says Don Waller, a botanist at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, US.

"In his time and ours, most of us feel that plants are passive, harmless, and can't move. But the Venus flytrap acts like an animal, it moves fast and eats fresh meat." - Don Waller, a botanist at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, US.

Quote taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8151000/8151644.stm

This quote shows how the carnivorous plant is like an animal, its quick and hunts instinctivley. This could also help provide a boastful personality for a plant, plus its "big mouth" providing a physical joke for this trait.

• Phalenopsis

 "Phalaenopsis come in many different sizes and colours striped spotted mottled blotched plain white or a combination, flower and plant size vary depending on the parentage.

They make excellent house plants, but don't forget to make certain that the temperature at night stays above 58deg. f or the plant will suffer."

This quote already shows that the plant is typically demanding and requires attention all the time.

"These orchids are the easiest and most rewarding of the family for the home grower as they produce arching spikes of ten or more flowers as often as three times a year, and which can flower for months."

This quote shows how the plant lives for quite a long time, so could be old and experienced, hence his fastidious nature towards everything.

"The plants are shade-loving and grow on branches or on rocks where the air is warm and moist."

This quite could give the very reason my pot plant wants to move location.

 Chris