Botany Spotlight: Meet the Meat Eaters—Carnivorous Plants
Date: Wed, Oct 14, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Venue: Duke Gardens–Pelham-Cullen Classroom in the Barnes Welcome Center, Durham
Price: $28
Category: Outdoors
Enter the remarkable world of carnivorous plants with Alec Motten, professor emeritus, Duke University Department of Biology. Start in the classroom with an overview of the impressive array of structures that make carnivory possible—from digestive glands and sticky traps to slippery pitfalls, trap doors and snap-shut jaws. Look closely at these structures under a microscope, then venture outside to meet specimens living in the garden. Whether you're captivated by the iconic Venus flytrap's sudden snap, the drowning pools and pit-fall traps of pitcher plants or the elegant patience of a sundew's glistening tentacles, this program will forever change the way you think about what plants are capable of. Pair this class with a tour of the Duke Research Greenhouse’s teaching collection, which includes an impressive collection of carnivorous plants, on Saturday, November 21 (register separately). Location: Pelham-Cullen Classroom inside the Barnes Welcome Center. Fee : $28, 20% discount for Duke Gardens members with discount code. Parking: Parking fees apply. Accessibility: This will be a small group program that takes place partially seated indoors and partially outdoors, traveling on a combination of paved and unpaved paths with some uneven surfaces, moderate inclines and stairs. The indoor location is equipped with a hearing loop, which transmits sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants with a T-coil setting. Accessible restrooms are available onsite.
