Hidden among the lush greenery of Kyalami is a peaceful nursery called Jozi Carnivores — unlike any ordinary nursery. The air is quiet, the plants are vibrant, and at first glance, everything seems familiar.
Then you notice something unusual.

Hanging from vines are colourful pitcher shaped traps filled with digestive fluid. Nearby, a Venus flytrap waits patiently for an unsuspecting insect to land.

These are not your average garden plants; they are carnivorous plants, nature’s own hunters.
For Renee Mendelow, the owner and industry expert behind Jozi Carnivores, this extraordinary world began with a simple search. “I was looking for another Venus flytrap for my daughter when she was a little girl at school, and we couldn’t find any. Venus flytrap catches and digests insects to survive.”

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That search led her to a grower she had found online. What she discovered there changed everything. “I walked inside and saw all these plants I’d never seen before. I thought, this is such an amazing thing for children.”

Years later, that moment grew into Jozi Carnivores, where visitors can experience plants that behave in ways most people never imagine.

One of the most striking is the tropical pitcher plant. Its long, elegant leaves end in what looks like a colourful cup or hanging jug. Beautiful as it appears, the cup serves a remarkable purpose: it lures insects inside, where they slip into digestive fluid and become food for the plant.

Despite their fearsome reputation, Mendelow said these plants inspire wonder more than fear. “Children love Venus flytraps and looking after plants that behave more like animals than like plants.”

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She believes they also offer families a chance to reconnect with nature in a world dominated by cellphone screens. “You want a gift or a hobby that takes children away from the screens, that fosters good values like looking after a living thing, being out in nature and being responsible.”

Among the collection are towering pitcher plants, commonly known as monkey cups, named after observations of monkeys drinking water collected inside the large pitchers. “They’re called monkey cups. They get very big and can trail for miles. They’re fantastic plants.”

For many visitors, a walk through Jozi Carnivores begins with curiosity and ends with amazement. It’s a reminder that even in the middle of Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, nature still has secrets waiting to be discovered.

This story forms part of the Fourways Review’s upcoming feature exploring the fascinating world of carnivorous plants and how these extraordinary species survive by turning the tables on insects.

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