Anyone with knowledge of venus fly trap plant..?

Question

A few questions -

firstly what's their appetite like, and would having venus flytraps attract more flies than they can consume?

can they survive in a window box during a british summer if brought inside for the winter?

how long do they last, and are they easy to maintain? - I have no plant keeping experience.

Answer 1

The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey (mostly insects and arachnids). The trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves. The plant's name refers to Venus, the goddess of love and plant life.

Contents [hide]
1 Description
2 Mechanism of trapping
3 Habitat
4 Cultivation
5 Cultivars
6 Popular culture
7 References
8 Further reading



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Description
The plant is a small herb, forming a rosette of 4 to 7 leaves, which arise from a short subterranean stem which is actually a bulb like Rhizome. Each leaf reaches a maximum size of about 3 to 7 cm, depending on the time of year[2]; longer leaves with robust traps are generally formed after flowering. Flytraps that appear to have more leaves are generally colonies, formed by rosettes that have divided beneath the ground.


The edges of a Venus Flytrap leaf are equipped with teeth-like protrusions called Cilia, while the inside has red pigmentation that attracts insects.
Time-lapse photography of a growing trap.The leaf blade is divided into two regions: a flat heart shaped photosynthetic capable petiole, and a pair of terminal lobes hinged at the midrib, forming the trap which is actually the true leaf. The upper surface of these lobes contains red anthocyanin pigments and its edges secrete mucilage: these lures serve to attract insect prey. The lobes exhibit rapid plant movements, snapping shut when stimulated by prey. The trapping mechanism is tripped when prey items stumble against one of the three hair-like trichomes that are found on the upper surface of each of the lobes. The trigger hairs must be touched twice in quick succession (which prevents non-prey stimuli such as raindrops from triggering the trap), whereupon the lobes snap shut in c. 100 ms. The edges of the lobes are fringed by stiff hair-like protrusions or cilia, which mesh together and prevent large prey items from escaping. (These protrusions, and the trigger hairs, are probably homologous with the tentacles found in this plants close relatives, the sundews). The holes in the meshwork allow small prey to escape, presumably because the benefit that would be obtained from them would be less than the cost of digesting them. If the prey is too small and escapes, the trap will re-open within a few hours.

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Mechanism of trapping
The Venus Flytrap is one of a very small group of plants that are capable of rapid movement, such as Mimosa, the Telegraph plant, sundews and bladderworts.


The insides of the lobes have about three trigger hairs each.The mechanism by which the trap snaps shut involves a complex interaction between elasticity, turgor and growth. In the open, untripped state, the lobes are convex (bent outwards), but in the closed state, the lobes are concave (forming a cavity). It is the rapid flipping of this bistable state that closes the trap[3], but the mechanism by which this occurs is still poorly understood. When the trigger hairs are stimulated, an action potential (mostly involving calcium ions) is generated, which propagates across the lobes and stimulates cells in the lobes and in the midrib between them[4]. Exactly what this stimulation does is still debated: cells in the outer layers of the lobes and midrib may rapidly secrete protons into their cell walls, loosening them and allowing them to swell rapidly by osmosis and acid growth; alternatively, cells in the inner layers of the lobes and midrib may rapidly secrete other ions, allowing water to follow by osmosis, and the cells to collapse. Both, either or neither of these mechanisms may play a role[5].

If the prey is unable to escape, it will continue to stimulate the inner surface of the lobes, and this causes a further growth response that forces the edges of the lobes together, eventually sealing the trap hermetically and forming a 'stomach' in which digestion occurs. Digestion is catalysed by enzymes secereted by glands in the lobes. Digestion takes about 10 days, after which the prey is reduced to a husk of chitin. The trap then re-opens, and is ready for re-use; however, it is rare for a single trap to catch even three insects in its lifetime.

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Habitat
The Venus Flytrap is found in nitrogen-poor environments such as bogs, in many places all over the world. In the United States, the venus flytap is mainly found only in the Carolinas. The nutritional poverty of the soil is the reason that the plant has evolved to have such elaborate traps: insect prey provide the nitrogen for protein formation that the soil cannot. The venus flytrap is not a tropical plant and can tolerate mild winters.

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Cultivation
Venus Flytraps are popular as cultivated plants, although they have a reputation for being 'difficult'. Much of this reputation is due to inappropriate treatment of the plants by retailers, and their consequent ill-health on purchase.


Venus FlytrapAlthough terraria are an ideal growing environment, Venus Flytraps can also be grown on a windowsill if a few requirements are respected.

The ideal soil is a mix of sand and sphagnum moss, or sphagnum alone. Soil pH should be in the range of 4.0 to 4.5.

They thrive with at least a few hours of direct sunlight daily. However, hot sun combined with low humidity can kill for a weak Venus Flytrap fresh out of tissue culture. Insufficient light can lead to long, thin leaves that lack red coloring in the traps.

Venus Flytraps must not be watered with tap water; accumulated salts cause most carnivorous plants — including Venus Flytraps — to die. Distilled water, clean rain water, or water that has been artificially acidified with sulfuric acid should be used instead. The soil should be kept constantly moist (and the humidity high) by placing the pot in a tray full of water. There is no danger of over-watering. Venus Flytraps have been known to live underwater for weeks at a time.

Some horticulturists have experimented with giving small amounts of fertilizer to Venus Flytraps, usually applying diluted solutions of products formulated for epiphytes, using cotton swabs, to the plant's foliage. Beginners, however, and those without expendable plants, would be wise to avoid fertilizer in favor of insects.


Flowers of the Venus FlytrapGrowers should resist the temptation to trigger the traps manually, whether by poking them or by feeding them food such as hamburger, which will rot traps due to high fat content. Venus Flytraps are entirely capable of catching their own food; thus, feeding them manually is not necessary. The plants do not require insects and can thrive without eating at all. If for some reason a grower wishes to feed a flytrap, live insects no larger than 1/3 of the size of the trap may be used. Algal growth near the plant is an indicator of over-feeding.

Healthy Venus Flytraps will produce scapes of white flowers in spring; however, growers may wish to pinch these out, as flowering consumes some of the plant's energy, and reduces the rate of trap production.

In winter, wild Venus Flytraps will become dormant. If one lives in an area with chilly, but not freezing, winters (similar to the plant's natural habitat in North Carolina), they can be placed outside in a cool area protected from frost. The soil should be kept slightly moist and the area well ventilated to prevent the growth of grey mould. Those who live in areas with extremely cold winters might consider placing plants in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for two to three months, starting in autumn.

Plants can be propagated by seed, although seedlings will take several years to mature. More commonly, they may be propagated by division in spring.

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Cultivars
Venus Flytraps are faraway the most commonly cultivated carnivorous plants, and they are beloved houseplants and often found at florist's and markets. Though the species are monotypic, in the last ten years or so cultivars have come to the market through genetic mutations of the great quantities of plants raised.

Answer 2

My friend's dad literally has his own greenhouse and is a specialist on carniverous plants. OK, I'll tell you this: venus flytraps only eat bugs because their swampy habitats don't have much nutrients in the soil

So they get the nutrients from bugs.

So if you put it in real nutritious potting soil, it can still eat bugs, but doesn't really need to. And they only eat bugs when they're older. And that's 3 times a year. You can tell when they're older because they have a crimson color on the inside of their "mouth". When it's winter, they go dormant, and appear as if they're dead. Basically, they just shrivel up and turn black. But that's where most people are tricked. When it goes dormant, it doesn't really die. When the right time comes, after a couple of months, new traps will start to pop up. And don't water it directly-that will kill it. Instead, put a tray of water underneath a pot or holder with holes in the bottom and let the plant soak the water up from the tray. Once the water's gone, fill it back up. That's all I can say, but you can just go to a Steins garden thingy and get it there. Or you could just check online. I have a flytrap right now, and they're just plain cool. Suprisingly, they only grow in North America. You'd just expect exotic plants to come from a tropical rainforest, huh?

Answer 3

they are very easy to grow, they need plenty of sun, that is all. Especially in winter. (it will also kinda hibernate) No need to feed them, as they are too easy to overfeed. put them in an aquarium (increase the air humidity like in a greenhouse) with a little water on bottom and that is all. NO FERTILIZER!!!!!! never ever. No garden soil or commercial substrate, just pure peat (not peat substrate with fertilizer and compost) .
good idea to cover substrate with living peat moss. If u plan to have it outside, cover the aquarium with mesh or birds would pluck it! check www.sarracenia.com it is a great website and the ftv is covered extensively there. It is so easy to grow especially if u have no plant keeping experience, because many people kill it due to observing the care routine of ordinary houseplants. This is a bog plant that needs different , although simplistic, approach that differs from care of other houseplants. That is special substrate, partly covered aquarium or large jar or your window box, plenty of sun, no overfeeding, no playing with the traps all the tïme. although it is a bog plant, dont let it drown, just a little water on the bottom is enough, it drinks it slowly and u dont have to replenish the water until it is drunk up by the plant. But if u leave for holidays you can put it into an inch or more of standing water (but dont do it regularly or it will drown eventually) and it will do without your care till the water is all gone, which may be as long as two months - so tell me what houseplant can be left on its own for two months?

cut off the flower stalks as they emerge before it has a chance to flower- it wastes its energy, florers not nice anyway.

and dont buy a plant that is already dying in the store.!! buy from a reliable source (e-shop nursery that specializes in carnivorous plants there are too many shops and gardeners that sell it just as a novelty for quick profit and the unsold plants are half dead after short time, because the indoor air is too dry it or they fertilize it and it is soon finished, or they put it in dry corned and it grows thin, etc )

for the winter - as cold as possible. that is lower than room temperature, because if its too warm it will not stop growth and it will suffer from lack of daylight. are u sure it will not survive outside - check it first

But what i recommend is to try some more hardy and cheaper species of sundew first - Drosera capensis. it grows perfectly well from seeds that u can buy online. get some peat from a peatbog and u will see. i just cant resist the pink-glistening dewy leaves they are such beauties - look at sarracenia.com, in a couple of years u will have carnivorous plants all over the flat. one time i ended up with seventeen aquariums packed full so i know what i am saying

Answer 4

The Venus Fly Trap is a carnivorious plant, which exists in select boggy areas of California, USA. It is very easy to grow but, the plant feeds mainly on butterflies, hornets, bees, beetles, ants and other insects trying to feed on the pollen. The plant is bright green in color, but is mainly grown in greenhouses today. It has sharp teeth inside the leaves that quickly close as soon as an insect enters in. Moreover, I've provided you with a source from where you can discover and get updated on this insectivorous plant and as to how you can also keep it indoors.

Answer 5

Like the other other answers i agree (of coourse any bloody fool could copy and paste) They are quite a challenge to grow I feed mine about once a week with flies that I kill and give it. They are known to live in terribl soild conditions so it would be easy to over feed them. Birght but not hot environment.

Answer 6

Venus fly trap....aka, ray parlours wife !!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

check this website, you'll have some useful info!
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2000.html