Wetlands & Pitcher Plants

Wetlands are wet habitats that have moist, saturated soils and water tolerant plants. There are many types of wetlands throughout the world including swamps, bogs, marshes and peat lands. In fact, 13% of Georgia’s land area is considered a wetland. Wetlands often exist in holes in the landscape or along the edges of streams, rivers, lakes or oceans.

This important habitat serves a vital role in the overall health of our planet. Wetlands help regulate water levels, improve water quality by filtering out pollutants, reduce flood and storm damage and provide important habitats for fish and wildlife.

The Conservation Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden is a representation of various southeastern wetland habitats. This garden features carnivorous or meat-eating plants, native orchids and grasses and various types of native wetland plants. Depending on the time of year, you may see blooming pitcher plants, Venus flytraps or bright orange orchids. Many of the plants featured in the Conservation Garden are part of the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Conservation & Research Program that monitors, restores and conserves the unique and species-rich bog communities found throughout the Coastal Plain and southern Appalachian Mountains of the southeastern United States.

Many carnivorous plants live in wetland habitats. The wetland soil where they grow often lacks nutrients because the water leeches out many of available nutrients. As a result, carnivorous plants gain the extra nutrients they need to grow from insects. Many carnivorous plants, such as Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, butterworts, sundews, and bladderworts are found in bogs in the southeast.

Download a Carnivorous Plant Coloring Page