Venus Flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula ) is a carnivorous plant native to wetlands in the eastern subtropical region of the United States. They are grown for their striking ornamental leaves which double as an insect catcher. In catching its own food this species gathers its own nutrients and does not require any fertilizer, just add water.
Often displayed as houseplants Venus Flytraps require plenty of sunshine to reach their full potential. When plants are kept near a window or outdoors in warmer climates they can reach their full height (a mere 15cm (5 inches) and begin flowering from seed in around three to five years.
This plant will grow as a perennial in sub-tropical and tropical zones and is suitable for growing in small pots.
Growth
Dionaea muscipula is an evergreen plant that will grow to a very modest 15cm (5 inches) in height and will spread approximately the same wide. Each plant can produce up to seven stems that can reach a maximum length of 10cm (3 inches). Plants with more than seven stems have often divided in the root system beneath the ground.
The infamous trap is made of two hinged lobes the grow at the end of each leaf. The inner surfaces of the lobes produce small hair-like projections called trichomes that allow the plant to sense the pray and snap when contact is made.
Dionaea muscipula is not frost tolerant but will cope with cooler temperatures down to around 10°C/50°F before it starts to die off. This species is slow growing but performs better when allowed to receive a minimum of four hours of full sun per day.
Unlike many plant varieties, Venus Flytraps prefer an acidic soil.
FAMILY:
Droseraceae
CLIMATE:
Sub-Tropical and Tropical (Perennial)
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
12°C to 35°C / 53 to 95°F
SOIL TYPE:
Peat Moss
LOCATION:
Full sun with protection from temperatures that fall below 10°C/50°F.
HEIGHT:
15cm (5 inches)
WIDTH:
15cm (5 inches)
pH:
4.9-5.3 (Acidic)
GROWTH TYPE:
Perennial
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Medium, not drought tolerant.
POLLINATION:
Bees and Beetles
MATURITY:
3-5 years
GERMINATION RATES:
70-75%
GERMINATION TIME:
15-45 days
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 7000
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Some
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
EDIBLE:
No
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) for 1 year.
FACTS ABOUT DIONAEA MUSCIPULA (Venus Flytrap)
North Carolina’s colonial Governor Arthur Dobbs wrote the first description of the Venus Flytrap in 1759 where he described the plant as a Catch Fly Sensitive.
In 2014, North Carolina made the poaching of wild Venus Flytraps a felony with one man receiving 17 months prison for stealing 970 plants.
Germination Instructions
HOW TO GROW DIONAEA MUSCIPULA (Venus Flytrap)
Step 1
Rinse about 1-1.5 litres of sphagnum peat moss four times with distilled water. Pour the distilled water over the mixture in a pot so that it drains through. This should remove any minerals that can potentially kill the Venus Flytraps.
Step 2
Next, prepare a plastic container such as Tupperware by poking a number of holes both in the lid and in the bottom. This will help create a warm environment, whilst keeping air circulation and allowing for drainage.
You can use a regular small pot but will need to put a plastic bag or sandwich bag over the top to achieve the same outcome.
Step 3
Moisten the sphagnum peat moss with distilled water and place into the container/pot.
Scatter a few seeds on top of the growing medium and then sift a very fine amount of dry sphagnum peat moss over the seeds.
If they are completely covered they won’t germinate so be careful to cover them too much. Gently spray distilled water onto the peat moss to moisten it and the seeds and seal with the vented lid.
Step 4
Place your container somewhere with bright indirect light. The container should not be placed in direct sunlight because it will overheat both the air and soil inside and may damage or kill the seeds and germinating plants.
Bright indirect light is best.
Once most of the seeds have germinated, you can remove the container cover and gradually give seedlings more direct sunlight.
Venus Flytraps require a lot of light, around 3-4 hours a day of good light.
During the germination period of about 13-35 days, the growing medium should be kept moist and warm. To water the seeds, you can either use a spray bottle to gently wet the soil surface and enough to saturate the medium until some water drains out.
Or place the growing container in to another container that is holding distilled water to allow the soil to suck water upward through the drain holes in the bottom of your growing container.
Always ensure that the soil surface is moist so that a newly emerging root has water to pull from and continues to grow. Use mineral-free water only such as distilled or clean rainwater.
Lift the lid of the container at least once a day and fan the air for a change of fresh air and prevention of mould.
The best temperature to germinate Venus Flytrap seeds is above 78 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (24-32 or more degrees Celsius). Seeds kept at much lower temperatures than this will take longer to germinate (3-5 weeks versus 13-15 days) or may not germinate at all if it is too cold.
Step 5
Later, once your seedlings have germinated and sprouted, they can be transplanted to a more permanent uncovered container.
The best stage to transplant them is usually after 2-3 weeks of growth in the germination container or when the two first leaves are almost fully extended out of the seed and the first tiny true trap leaf is forming.
As the Venus Flytrap grows it will require regular feeding. The best food to use is live insects, rehydrated dried blood worms or some types of fish foods.
Venus Flytraps can take 3-5 years to fully mature.
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