My son who lives in Austin wants a carnivorous plant. Do they survive in that zone or better indoors?

It would depend on which ones he wants. I think most North American species can handle temps much colder than Austin.
Sarracenia alata is a Texas native Pitcher plant that would do well.
Pale Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia alata)

Thankyou! Do you know where to buy one?

The are plenty of sites online that sell carnivorous plants. Here is one that sell Sarracenia alata.
http://www.flytrapshop.com/ser...

This one sells Sarracenia leucophylla, which is an attractive US native. I had this one many years ago.
http://www.predatoryplants.com...

Wow! That is a nice one!

The best place with accurate info on how to grow them would be http://www.cobraplant.com/ If you look to the right they have free care sheets.

I live in Austin and grow an wide variety of CPs. Some (Sarracecia, Temperate Drosera, Darlington Californica, etc) I can grow outside and the rest I grow in terrariums or my greenhouse (mainly butterworts and nepenthes...but many of these can be moved outside during summer). I have had no real issues with my plants in Austin.

Welcome to ATP and the Texas forum, @django226 from a fellow Austinite! We're glad to have you here!

I'm going to alert @canadanna that you have an answer for her question.

I just found this Drosera spatulata



Would it be ok for Austin TX?

Thanks for the answer django. Welcome to ATP.
He has since moved to San Fransisco. Too bad for me cause I loved coming down to Austin without too much planning.Guessing there is no problem growing most anything there.

I live in North Texas (DFW area). I want to plant Pale Trumpets (Sarracenia alata) in my backyard since they are native to Texas. How do other carnivorous plants do in zone 8? Winter hardy? Summer hardy? Also, it looks like they are currently out of stock on sarracenia alata? Any other places where I can find it? Can I grow them from seed? http://www.flytrapshop.com/sea...

@merkuree Welcome! If you read through this thread above, there's lots of good information n growing carnivorous plants in Texas! @Horntoad lists a couple of mail order sites. There's also a Carnivorous plant thread on the Tropical forum you might want to check out too.
@djangoo226 might have a few answers also. He lives in Austin.

Even though they are native, but you will still want to plant them in a nutrient-poor type condition. For example, set up a small area in your yard where you have created that kind of growing condition. Not just planting it in your Texas soil.

You can achieve that by digging directly into the ground and setting up the proper area or using a kiddie pool or something similar.

Others who are growing them mention that they are growing in pots but you specifically want it in your yard, so just make sure about that part.

@merkuree adding your tag here in the thread in hopes it will ensure that you are notified so you can view the new post above .

to ATP @purslanegarden!

I grow a couple of Sarracenias here, and I always have them in standing water, using either distilled water or rainwater. Oftentimes with distilled water since we lack rain the rest of the year. I always grow them outdoors year round, they love full sun and they need their requisite winter season dormancy, but still must be in standing water outdoors. I don't have snow conditions here though. But my garden gets shaded by our city trees, so pretty much in the hottest months it gets part shade in the afternoon, but heat is really high here going into the 90's to the triple digits.

Right now my Sarracenia purpurea and Sarracenia psittacina are still dormant, but S. purpurea is busy making a bud for the first time.

As to media, I have not repotted them yet, but I know I need to use peat moss and some long fibered sphagnum moss and pumice or perlite. No fertilizers. Don't know yet if I will repot this time, maybe one more year, but I have these materials ready here if needed.

I have been to California carnivores nursery here in Cali, and you can buy from them online as well.
https://www.californiacarnivor...

I want to get a gift certificate for my son's girlfriend who lives in Oakland. Do you ever go up there for your carnivores? I am not sure how much sun they get in their apartment.

Hi Anna, yes better check first the sunlight direction she has in her apartment. So far for me west facing side is okay for my nepenthes while north facing side is okay with pinguiculas. Unless she is willing to have some extra light set up indoors. Sarracenias really do better outdoors and needs a cold winter dormancy so it stays outdoors here during winter.

We have gone to California carnivores in Feb really enjoyed it. In Oakland, there is a
carnivore society thereabouts sometimes they have an exhibition/sale. So far for this year I have not seen a schedule though.

What fun to get a gift certificate!Lucky girl!

@purslanegarden @needrain @tarev

I'm new to AllThingsPlants so still getting used to the forums. It's pretty dry in this area so I'm not sure if Pale Trumpets (Sarracenia alata) will grow well in my yard without a lot of water. Thanks for the tips.

to ATP, Nancy. I have no experience with these plants. They just look too delicate for my hot windy area on the few occasions I've seen them for sale and I haven't tried any. I haven't even known any of my acquaintances to attempt this family. This week I did see a whole shelf of Venus Fly Traps for sale at nursery in Stephenville, so I guess some folks must grow, or try, those. Sorry, I'm no help at all. I expect someone with more knowledge will chime in with more information.

Hello Nancy! Sarracenias so far do well in my garden, and our area is also very dry. I just make sure it is sitting in distilled water always. Or if you have been able to collect rainwater, that is even better too.