The most interesting thing about this plant is how it eats. Flytraps lure insects by the reddish lining in the leaves and by secreting a fragrant nectar. When bugs land in the jaws of the flytrap, it doesn't clamp down right away.
Sensory hairs, called trichomes, on the inside of the petals essentially count the movements from the insect. There must be at least two movements in 20 seconds or the petals won't close.
This prevents it from trapping debris or other items that wouldn't make a good meal. On the second movement, the plant closes its jaws in under a second by snapping from a convex shape to concave shape.
The bristles on the edges of the leaves work like jail bars to prevent the insect from making an escape. On the third movement, it starts to digest the insect. Digestive juices are introduced to the mouth area and they break down the insect. After five to 12 days, the plant will reopen and the parts of the bug that couldn't be digested fall out. The Venus flytrap's primary prey is ants, but it will also eat flies, beetles, slugs, spiders and even tiny frogs. Flytraps don't just eat bugs for nutrition, though.
Like other plants, they also need water, gases and sunlight. You can buy bags of suitable peat-based mixes from specialist nurseries and on Amazon. The impact of peat extraction on the environment - both in terms of habitat destruction and global warming - means that some growers are moving towards peat-free mixes. A good, sustainable peat-free mixture is fine milled bark e.
Growbark Pine from Melcourt , lime-free horticultural grit, and perlite, to a ratio of Venus flytraps also grow very well in pure sphagnum live or dried , available from The Sphagnum Shop. Venus Flytraps require a cold winter dormancy between November and February.
You need to mimic the conditions of their natural habitat, which means providing a cold resting period. Much like you need to sleep every night, Venus Flytraps need to go dormant over winter!
If you grow your plants on a windowsill or in a terrarium during the growing season, you will need to move them somewhere colder - sit them next to a window in your garage or shed, for example. Plants growing in unheated greenhouses can remain there over winter. This is normal, and you can safely trim off any dead growth. The end of the winter dormancy period is a good opportunity to repot - and even divide - your plants if they require it before growth begins in March.
A 10 cm 4 inch pot is sufficient for adult plants. Flowering can be exhausting for Venus Flytraps, and most plants will grow more vigorously during summer if prevented from flowering. If you wish to sexually propagate your Venus Flytrap by collecting and sowing seeds, I recommend reading this article by Flytrapcare. If grown outside, Venus Flytraps will catch more than enough food for themselves.
In order for Venus Flytraps to properly digest prey, the trigger hairs need to be stimulated after the trap has closed - this is to prevent the plant from wasting energy trying to digest non-edible matter which may have fallen into the trap. Growers who are looking to feed their plants should check out my guide to feeding Venus Flytraps , in which I recommend a variety of suitable and easily-available foods. Discover more about carnivorous plants!
Check out my blog or explore another grow guide. Where do Venus Flytraps grow? Here is a summary list of care instructions to grow large Venus flytraps. Water: Venus flytraps need a lot of water. Your soil needs to be moist at all times. Instead, use rainwater or distilled water.
Light: Venus flytraps require a lot of light. They must be placed in a strategic spot, where they can receive 12 hours of sun a day. However, Venus flytraps can live in partial shade if they receive hours of direct sunlight. Feeding: Venus flytraps can survive several months without being fed. For best results, feed your Venus flytrap once every two weeks or once every month. For more information, you can read our complete guide on how to feed a Venus flytrap :.
How to Feed a Venus Flytrap? Soil: Venus flytraps require nutrient-free soil with good drainage. Long-fibered sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss are both suitable options. Fertilizer: There is no need to fertilize the plant. You can actually kill your plant with fertilizers. It is easy to make mistakes when you are a novice grower, especially with Venus flytraps.
But, remember that being a successful carnivorous plant grower requires patience, practice, and attention to detail. Then, you will cultivate large and healthy Venus flytraps. Venus flytraps undergo several stages every year. Generally, they will reach their largest size during spring or summer. And they will shrink during winter due to dormancy.
During late fall and winter, Venus flytraps will go dormant. Their dormancy period is similar to animal hibernation. When temperatures start to drop, Venus flytraps go dormant. During dormancy, their leaves wither, and the plant reduces in size. Since the physical changes due to dormancy are pronounced, the best time to photograph and measure your plant is during the warmer months.
Finally, in the spring, Venus flytraps return to their original state and continue to grow and develop. After dormancy, Venus flytraps start flourishing. Then, during spring, Venus flytraps grow thick cylindrical structures. Those tubular structures will turn into flowers.
Venus flytraps spend large amounts of energy producing flowers. After flowering, the plant will be weak for several months, and its growth will stagnate. If you want to make sure your Venus flytrap continuous to grow through the season, I would highly suggest cutting the flower stalks and preventing your plant from flowering.
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