How to grow and care for a Venus flytrap at home

The Venus flytrap, or Dionaea, is one of the most unusual plants in the world. It feeds on insects, which it catches with its unusual, trap-like leaves. In its natural habitat, this unique flower grows in sandy savannas. It thrives on sun and moisture, so care must be taken to create the appropriate conditions for it indoors.

Briefly about the plant

The Venus flytrap, or flytrap, is a carnivorous insectivorous plant capable of capturing its prey with a lightning-fast movement of its leaves. Thanks to its "enhanced feeding," this carnivorous plant can thrive in soils with low nitrogen concentrations.

Brief botanical description:

• the squat bush reaches 15 cm in diameter;
• number of traps - from 4 to 7 pieces;
• a leaf is two petal-like flaps covered with spines along the outer edge;
• The flowers of the flycatcher are small and star-shaped;
• The seeds are small and black.

The Venus flytrap blooms in May or June and has a lifespan of about seven years.

Features of cultivation

In nature, the flycatcher grows in marshy soils, where there's plenty of sun and high humidity. To ensure the plant thrives, its care at home should be as close to its natural needs as possible.

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Light, location

The flytrap is a sun-loving plant. It can be placed not only on west- and east-facing windows, but also on south-facing ones. Care instructions:

• On the south side, the flycatcher is shaded at midday;
• the room is ventilated daily;
• drafts are contraindicated;
• the flower is capricious, it is important that its position relative to the sun changes;
• the optimal length of daylight is at least 12 hours;
• During the off-season, Dionea does not have enough natural light; phytolamps must be connected.

In summer, it's recommended to take the plant outdoors. Here, it will have the opportunity to hunt for passing flies.

Venus flytrap grows well in an aquarium or terrarium, provided high humidity is maintained and a 40-watt bulb is used. The distance between the flytrap and the plant is 20 cm.

Temperature

Venus flytrap thrives in warm conditions. Comfortable temperatures during active growth and trap formation range from 22 to 30°C. If it gets too warm in the summer, Venus flytrap tolerates these conditions well. However, the plant cannot tolerate constant heat—this will adversely affect its health, and it will quickly die.

The flower needs to rest every winter. Temperatures are lowered to 5–7°C. It is not recommended to drop the temperature below this level, as it is dangerous for the plant.

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Soil and container

In nature, Venus flytrap grows in poor soil, so avoid filling the pot with a high-humus substrate. If the "predator" ends up in nutritious soil, it won't be able to absorb minerals from it.

A suitable substrate composition is quartz sand and high-moor peat (1:1). A second suitable option is peat, perlite, and sand (4:2:1). Venus flytrap thrives in acidic soils. The optimal pH for this predatory plant is 3.5–4.5.

Which pot to choose:

• diameter - 10 cm;
• depth - 20 cm;
• color - light;
• drainage holes are necessary;
• drainage - absent;
• pallet is a must.

The optimal container for growing a carnivorous plant is a glass aquarium. It will keep the flytrap safely protected from drafts.

Watering

In nature, Venus flytrap grows in extremely poor soils. The plant's roots have practically lost the ability to absorb nutrients from the soil, and rainwater is used exclusively for irrigation. It is stored in plastic containers. Metal containers are unsuitable. If the region has poor environmental conditions, rainwater may contain harmful impurities.

Features of watering dionaea:

• the soil should always be moist;
• pour water not onto the ground, but into a tray - it should cover the bottom of the pot with holes;
• It is forbidden to water the flower from above, so as not to provoke soil compaction, which deprives the roots of oxygen;
• in hot weather the flower should be regularly sprayed with water;
• in winter, reduce the frequency of watering - it is necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out or become over-watered;
• To prevent the top layer of soil from drying out, it is recommended to cover it with sphagnum moss.

The plant will "drink" as much water as it needs. It's important to ensure the water in the tray is always fresh and of good quality. Long periods of stagnant water are unacceptable.

Top dressing

The carnivorous plant's feeding method and diet allow it to survive without the usual fertilizers used for houseplants. The carnivorous plant's roots are unable to extract nitrogen from the soil, so owners must provide it with live food.

To feed the plant nitrogen, it needs to be fed suitable food—live spiders, beetles, ants, mosquitoes, flies, or slugs. The plant doesn't eat dead insects. If there are no mosquitoes or spiders in the room where the plant is located, you'll have to catch them and bring them to the "predator." This nitrogenous "dessert" is fed to the carnivorous plant every two weeks.

How to feed a "predator" at home:

• worms and hard-shelled insects are not suitable for food;
• leaf beetles are contraindicated - they can chew through the trap;
• If the flower is sick, you should refrain from eating it for a while;
• If a flower is replanted, it is not fed for a week or two so that it can first adapt;
• in winter the plant is not fed;
• average digestion time is 14 days (depending on the size of the insect);
• overeating can lead to fading;
• You cannot feed the Venus flytrap meat - the traps are only triggered when live food appears.

Insects fed to the carnivorous plant must fit inside the trap, otherwise it will not close, will not process the prey, and will turn black and dry out. The ideal prey size is 1/3 of the trap.

The plant may refuse food due to stress:

• after transplantation;
• when the environment changes;
• in case of lack of light;
• in case of pest infestation.

If the plant is bought in a store and brought home, it also experiences stress and may initially refuse food.

How the Venus flytrap blooms

At the end of May, the Venus flytrap produces a flower stalk. At its end is a corymbose inflorescence. It consists of small, white, star-shaped flowers that are quite pleasantly scented.

Flowering lasts for about two months. If you don't plan to collect seeds, it's recommended to trim the inflorescences at the budding stage. They drain the plant of energy, preventing it from developing fully and forming healthy buds.

How to plant and transplant a flower

If you purchased a Venus flytrap plant from a store, it's recommended to immediately transplant it to a new pot with fresh potting soil. How to repot a Venus flytrap:

1. Carefully remove the plant from the store pot.
2. Gently shake the soil off the roots. It's best to rinse them in warm water, but use only distilled or boiled water.
3. Fill a 20 cm deep pot with substrate.
4. Place the plant's roots in the center of the pot and cover them with potting soil. Do not compact them.
5. Water the flower and place it in a slightly shaded area.

It takes about a month for the flytrap to acclimate to its new soil. During this time, it requires ample watering and protection from direct sunlight.

Venus flytrap doesn't require annual repotting, as the substrate it grows in retains its properties. It doesn't become depleted, and if properly watered with filtered or boiled water, it won't become saline.

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Reproduction

Venus flytraps can be propagated in any way—by seeds, bulbs, division, and even by stems. It all depends on how quickly the grower wants to get a new plant.

Bulbs

A mature plant produces daughter bulbs. Dionaea thrives surrounded by these daughter bulbs and weakens if they are frequently removed. This method of propagation should be used no more than once every three years.

Reproduction order:

1. Separate the onion together with the roots.
2. Sprinkle the cut area with ground charcoal.
3. Plant in a separate container.
4. Cover with film until fully established.

Cuttings

This is the simplest and most productive method of propagation. You'll need leaves that don't have traps.

Reproduction order:

1. Cut off the leaf and treat the cut with Kornevin (growth stimulator).
2. Plant the cutting at a 45 degree angle in a container filled with peat and sand (1:1).
3. Cover the container with a lid.

Next, carefully care for the cuttings, maintaining the necessary conditions. After 2-3 months, the first shoots will appear near the base of the cutting. After another 2-3 months, the plant should be repotted.

Seeds

This is the longest and most difficult method of propagation. The plant grown from seed may not resemble the parent plant.

Seeds for planting are taken from a plant that is 2-3 years old. When the plant blooms, it needs to be pollinated with a brush or cotton swab. Seeds are collected in the fall from dry seed pods. They have a limited germination rate, so it's best to plant them directly in a container.

The order of propagation by seeds:

1. Scatter seeds treated with Topaz over a moist substrate.
2. Close the container with a transparent lid and leave it closer to the sun.

After a month, the seedlings emerge. After the first leaves appear, the greenhouse is ventilated. A month later, the seedlings are transplanted into pots. They will grow into full-grown plants in five years.

Peduncle

Flowering shoots drain the dionaea's energy and can cause disease. Cut shoots can be discarded or used for propagation.

How to propagate Venus flytrap:

1. When the flower stalk reaches a length of 5 cm, cut it off.
2. Stick it into moistened peat, deepen it by 1 cm.
3. Cover with film.

Diseases and pests

The Venus flytrap is a robust plant, resistant to disease. However, if its growing conditions are not met, it will refuse to eat insects.

Potential problems with home care:

1. Frequently overwatering the soil will encourage fungal diseases. Affected plants should be sprayed with a suitable fungicide.
2. When a bactericidal attack occurs, the plant stops digesting the insects and rots. The affected area is removed, and the bush is sprayed.
3. When watered with poor-quality water, the soil accumulates calcium, causing the plant's leaves to turn yellow. The same effect occurs with insufficient moisture.

Dionaea sometimes falls victim to pests. It can be attacked by aphids, spider mites, or mealybugs. These insects, by feeding on the plant's sap, weaken it and can even cause its death. When pests appear, spray the plant with Actellic, Aktara, Fitoverm, or another effective insecticide.

The Venus flytrap is a unique exotic flower that amazes with its unusual behavior. This "predator" will not only decorate windowsills but also become a unique pet, devouring pesky flies and mosquitoes for dessert.