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Venus Flytrap Flower

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap | No Comments »
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The venus flytrap plant is one of the most popular carnivorous plants that you find in households.  In fact, it may just be the most commonly grown carnivorous plant that there is. The  venus flytrap flower is an interesting part of the plant.

It is a beautiful and interesting plant on it’s own for most of the year.  Of course, it does take a beauty break during dormancy.  The dormancy period causes your plant to look horrible.  In fact, many new flytrap owners think their plant is dead or dying during dormancy.  Other than this, the plant is very attractive and interesting to the eye.

Many people are so enthralled with the plant that they do not realize that it does flower.  The venus flytrap produces a white flower on top of a long stem that grows from the center of the plant.  The stem, if allowed to grow and produce the flower, grows well above the plant.  Many believe this is the plant’s way of ensuring that the flower can accommodate visits from bugs that will pollinate it.   The tall stem keeps the bugs well above the traps that would trap and use them for nutrients.  It is very interesting that nature takes care of this possible problem on it’s own!

If pollinated, the flower is where the plant produces seeds.  If you do allow the flower to grow, or forget to remove it in time, you can remove the seeds and use them later or sell them.

Many people believe that the venus flytrap flower should be removed immediately.  And when more flower stems attempt to grow, those should be removed as well.  This is due to the fact that they believe a flowering plant may die.  And, in fact, it is true that if you are not an experienced grower your plant may die.  Often, the plant will survive and will be weak for up to one year from the time it is allowed to flower.  The decision is yours.

The flower stem will look different from any other stem on the plant.  It will be long and skinny with a bulb-shaped end.  If you are going to remove it, do so immediately upon noticing it.  If the bud begins to open, you have waited too long and should allow the flower to bloom.  If this happens, you may as well attempt to get seeds fro

The venus flytrap flower is pretty and white.  But allowing the plant to flower is not recommended until you have some experience.

Feeding Venus Flytrap Meat

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap, Feed a Venus Flytrap, Venus Flytrap Care | No Comments »
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Over and over I hear of people who insist on feeding venus flytrap meat.  Hamburger meat or any other type of meat is not what you should give to your flytrap.  When you do this, it can harm and kill your venus flytrap plant.  Surely, this is not your intention.

Venus flytrap plants should be fed bugs.  More specifically, the proper bugs like flies, spiders and crickets.  For more information, check out Feed a Venus Flytrap.

Venus Flytrap Killers

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap, Venus Flytrap Care, Venus Flytrap Problems | 1 Comment »
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Many people believe that it is all but impossible to successfully grow a venus flytrap plant.  This is not so.  There are some common venus flytrap killers that you can avoid and watch out for.  Here they are:

  • Planting your flytrap in the garden or in common soil.  See venus flytrap soil.
  • Playing with the traps.  Setting the traps off over and over is a surefire way to kill your venus flytrap.
  • Feeding your flytrap hamburger meat.  Don’t do this!
  • Not getting your flytrap enough sun.  When placing in a terrarium or indoors anywhere, it is very important that the plant gets at least 8 hours of sun.

Many times new venus flytrap owners mistakenly believe that their flytrap has been killed or is dying during the period of time from November to February.  The plant will get black and appear to be dead or dying.  Put the plant in a dark space and leave it alone!

Avoid these common venus flytrap killers and you will have a better chance of becoming a successful flytrap grower.

How Long Does It Take a Venus Flytrap to Dissolve a Bug?

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap | 2 Comments »
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Once you have fed your venus flytrap a bug, you may be wondering how long it will take for it to finish “eating’  How long does it take a venus flytrap to dissolve a bug?

Once the trap has closed and your flytrap begins the process of releasing fluids inside the trap, the digestive fluids will break down the bug so that the soft, inner part of the venus flytrap can be digested.  This can take anywhere from 7-12 days.  Be patient.  Do not do anything to the trap while this in in progress or you may end up killing your plant.

Once the process is done and the inner part of the bug is digested, the trap opens and the shell or dried up carcass of the bug is allowed to drop or blow away.  For more more venus flytrap feeding information, visit Feed a Venus Flytrap.

Why Won’t the Traps on My Flytrap Close?

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap, Venus Flytrap Care | 1 Comment »
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You may have a new venus flytrap plant that you want to feed, but it may not be time.  Many new flytrap owners want to feed their plant, and they panic wondering, “why wont the traps on my flytrap close?  There are a few possible reasons.

The most common is that  your flytrap just doesn’t need to eat.  They are not plants that need to eat often.  In fact, they can go a couple of months between meals.   So, just wait a week and try again.

Is the meal alive?  If you don’t have a live bug, the trigger hairs that are inside of each trap may not be triggered properly.  Two hairs have to be triggered in a row for the trap to close.  You can mimic this by gently moving a dead bug across the hairs with tweezers.

If  you have made the traps close over and over just for fun, this may have poorly affected your plant.  In fact, not only will the traps stop closing, your plant may die.

For the ultimate guide to Venus Flytrap Care and to ensure you are successful, check this out!  5-star reviews and an affordable price…you can’t go wrong! Grow Carnivorous Plants! Volume 1: A No-Nonsense Approach to Growing North American Carnivorous Plants


Grow Carnivorous Plants! Volume 1: A No-Nonsense Approach to Growing North American Carnivorous Plants

Largest Venus Flytrap

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap | No Comments »
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We have all seen or heard of the movie in which a venus flytrap grows so big it could eat a person?  That is not real life.  And it can not happen.  You may wonder, “what is the largest venus flytrap?”.

The reality is that the largest venus flytrap is just over 2″.  A plant with 2″ traps is considered a nice, large size venus flytrap.  There are some plants that have reached near 3″, but this is rare.  So, anyone with thoughts of feeding your pesky little brother or sister to the plant will be disappointed.

You can grow one of the largest venus flytrap plants with special care and experience.  Who knows.  Maybe you will set a new record.

Conservation for the Venus Flytrap

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap | 1 Comment »
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Conservation for the Venus Flytrap is very important.  The plant has been threatened with extinction.

Many people believe that the best way to ensure the conservation of the venus flytrap in it’s natural habitat is to buy a lot of the land that is the plant’s natural habitat.  Although the plant could always continue to be grown by people out of it’s natural environment, there is nothing like having plenty flytraps growing in a place in nature that they will thrive naturally.

Some say there should be a surcharge on the purchase of each venus flytrap plant that is purchased.  This money can then be used to purchase and maintain the proper habitats and lands for these beautiful and interesting plants.

It is hugely important to ensure that we always have plenty of venus flytraps growing in the marshlands and natural habitats.  Conservation for the venus flytrap in it’s natural and original environment should be supported by all.

How Does the Venus Flytrap Reproduce?

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap, Venus Flytrap Care | No Comments »
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If you are wondering, “how does the Venus Flytrap reproduce?”, the answer is it doesn’t really reproduce.  Well, it does produce seeds.  So, I guess, the answer could also be that the venus flytrap reproduces by producing seeds which can be harvested and planted.

Many people do not see the seeds that the venus flytrap produces, however.  This is because the plant produces the venus flytrap flower, which provides the seeds.  Most hobbyists, beginners in particular, do not allow the flower to grow.  As soon as he stem starts to grow, they cut it off.  This is because when the plant is allowed to flower, it weakens the plant.  Many beginning hobbyists will lose their flytrap after it flowers.

But, if you want the seeds, you will have to allow your venus flytrap to flower and pollinate them.  Once that is done, you can harvest the seeds and grow more plants.

Why a Venus Flytrap is a Great Plant for Kids

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in About Venus Flytrap | No Comments »
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A venus flytrap is a great plant for kids.  It is an awesome plant.  It is very original.  I think that kids would love venus flytraps because they are carnivores.  And they are one of the most interesting plants to learn about.

The venus flytrap will eat spiders, flies and crickets.  They can not eat caterpillars, grubs or beatles.  They can not eat caterpillars because they will chew their way out of the trap.  So will some of the other bugs that you shouldn’t feed to the flytrap.

Do not feed venus flytrap plants because they will turn black, fall off and die.

Let your flytrap get 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.  If it is super hot outside, don’t leave it in the sun so long.

They close their trap pretty quick when they catch something.  They have trigger hairs that makes them feel an insect.

When a flytrap catches an insect, it sucks out the insides and spits the skin out a week or so later.

This article submitted by Micaela
8 years

Venus Flytrap Soil

January 14th, 2011 . Posted in Growing Venus Flytrap, Venus Flytrap Care | 3 Comments »
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If  you are wondering what the best venus flytrap soil is, I am so glad that you found this article!  The best medium in which to grow your venus flytrap plant is not soil at all!  Looks like you found us just in time.

Standard potting soil should not be used for your plant at all.  They thrive in a medium that is not full of nutrients.

The most common medium in which people grow their venus flytrap is equal parts of perlite and peat moss.  It is also not uncommon for the plants to be grown in strictly peat moss.  The perlite and peat moss mix allows for proper aeration and water retention.  You may even find some venus flytrap afficianados that add silica sand, sometimes called white sand, to their potting mixture.  This allows for additional aeration and is definitely a positive addition.  But it is not necessary. If you want more specific direction, check out Hoffman A H Inc/Good Earth 10Qt Sphagnum Peat Moss 155 Specialty Soil & Conditioner

Be sure when you purchase your peat moss and perlite mixture (or separately) that you do not get an enriched product.  You do not want the added fertilizers.

When you have your flytrap in the pot, do not fertilize your plant.  Fertilizing it will burn the roots and eventually kill it.  You may know of some people who like to fertilize with a very diluted mixture of fertilizer.  It is not necessary and is not recommended.

Some successful flytrap plant growers will add sphagnum moss to the top of the planting medium.  This helps retain moisture and ensures that your peat moss and perlite stay well mixed.

Once you have the products that you need to make your growing medium.  Mix them in a large container.  Then, you will want to add distilled water.   The peat moss will soak up a lot of water.  Keep adding until the peat moss is fully hydrated and is well mixed with the perlite.

As you can see, the best venus flytrap soil is not soil at all.  Happy planting!

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