Dionaea muscipula (venus' flytrap)

CEGNURSERY.COM

Dionaea muscipula

(venus' flytrap)

The Venus' flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is perhaps the most famous of all the Carnivorous Plants. This rare and exotic plant is found infrequently in bogs and savannahs in a small area of the coastal plains of SE NC and extreme NE SC. The plant is federally protected and is on the Endangered Species List.

The plant is in the form of a rosette of leaves up to five inches in diameter. The leaf blades are specialized in the form of traps. The trap is composed of two hinged lobes, each having three "trigger hairs". The insect, upon being attracted to the trap by its sweet odor, has to touch two trigger hairs or touch the same trigger hair twice to cause the lobes to snap shut. Prongs lining the trap edges keep the victim from escaping. In a short time, digestive juices are secreted and the animal is digested over a period of a few days to about a week. Afterwards, the trap re-opens for another meal. If by some chance the trap closes empty, possibly due to a foreign object other than an insect, it will re-open in about 24 hours or less. The plant can sense whether or not it has captured protein.

Even though the Venus' flytrap has this unique ability to capture and digest insects, it is also

a beautiful plant within itself. The leaves are bright green and carry on photosynthesis just like any other plant. The inside of the trap has numerous anthocyanin-containing cells which will make the inner lobes turn red in bright sunlight. A small cluster of white flowers will appear in the Spring on a stalk about 10 inches in height. This plant is truly one of Nature's wonders.

BASIC CARE: The Venus' flytrap plant requires several hours of full sun each day and must be kept very moist at all times. The plant must also be grown in an acid soil such as Sphagnum peat moss. CLICK HERE for more information on the general care and cultivation of Carnivorous Plants.

Back to top

<Previous Continue>

home about us carnivorous plants (general culture) venus' flytrap pitcher plant sundew butterwort cobra lily

tropical pitcher plant current seed list other products (VFT bulb kit) additional photos place an order by mail