The Carnivorous Plant Society

The Carnivorous Plant Society (CPS), founded in May 1978 in London,^[1] is the only UK registered charity dedicated to the study and conservation of carnivorous plants.^[2] Its charitable objects are to "advance the education of the public in the study of carnivorous plants, and to promote the conservation of such plants".^[3] The Society was established by a group of amateur enthusiasts and received considerable publicity following its launch, including internationally. Within a year it had more than 100 members and by the late 1980s membership stood at around 400.^[4]

The Carnivorous Plant Society

Abbreviation	CPS
Formation	1978; 46 years ago (1978)
Type	Registered charity
Legal status	Unincorporated association
Purpose	Promote the study and conservation of carnivorous plants
Region served	United Kingdom and worldwide
Website	www.thecps.org.uk

The Society is an unincorporated membership association managed by a committee of trustees and is affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).^[5] It publishes the biannual journal Planta Carnivora as well as a quarterly newsletter and a Guide to Growing Carnivorous Plants.^[6]

Since its founding the Society has frequently displayed plants and educational material and provided cultivation advice at a range of events including at the Natural History Museum in London,^[7] at RHS Wisley^[8] and at the Chelsea Flower Show.^[9][10] It funds and participates in research and conservation projects related to carnivorous plants,^[11][12][13] operates a website and the Carnivorous Plants UK Forum, and maintains a seedbank.

The current journal editor is Dr. Martin Cheek. Previous contributors to the journal include Adrian Slack, Stewart McPherson and Allen Lowrie.

The Society hosted the International Carnivorous Plant Society Conference in 2016 and the Carnivorous Plant European Exhibition and Exchange in 2011.

References

1. Watkins, John (1981). "The British Carnivorous Plant Society" (PDF). Carnivorous Plant Newsletter. 10 (1): 15, 22. doi:10.55360/cpn101.jw272. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
2. "Search the register of charities". Register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
3. "Governing document, THE CARNIVOROUS PLANT SOCIETY – 281423, Register of Charities – The Charity Commission". Register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
4. Simons, Paul (8 September 1988). "Join the amateurs". New Scientist. London.
5. "Plantsmanship / RHS Gardening".
6. "Search Results | Library Hub".
7. Grollman, Julia (28 April 1983). "Flesh eaters at South Kensington". New Scientist. London.
8. O'Brien, Kate (9 May 2014). "Gardens: Natural born killers – carnivorous plants". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
9. Ferrabee, James (29 May 1986). "Flower show draws quarter-million English fans". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa.
10. Malvern, Jack (22 May 2018). "Flycatchers are fatal attraction at Chelsea Flower Show". The Times. London. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
11. Druse, Ken (12 October 2011). "The Lure of Carnivorous Plants". The New York Times. New York. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
12. McHale, Ellen (29 August 2018). "Beautiful murderers: the carnivorous purple pitcher plant". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – News. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
13. Agyepong-Parsons, James (17 December 2020). "English carnivores – how meat-eating plants are taking back the bogs". BBC Wildlife Magazine.