Image – Wikimedia/Calyponte
Venus flytrap is by far the most popular carnivorous plant of all. Its leaves, which have become traps, are so well adapted to their environment that if the insect inadvertently stimulates them by touching one of the three “hairs” on their upper surface, they quickly close.
But also, you should know that its flower is quite beautiful. It doesn’t last long, yes, but it is worth doing everything so that the plant has strength and flourishes.
What are the characteristics of the Venus flytrap flower?
Image – Wikimedia/Citron
The Venus flytrap is a plant which, in order to survive, has evolved to succeed in transforming its leaves into very sophisticated traps. But of course, it not only needs to be fed, but also to produce seeds; that is, doing everything possible to pass on their genes, like many other plants.
For this reason, when it blooms, it always does so in the spring, that is to say when the temperatures are pleasant, so much so that pollinating insects, such as bees, resume their usual rhythm of activity. But to protect them, it produces a rather long stem, about three inches, at the end of which the flower grows.
This It is small, since it measures more or less a centimeter in diameter. It is also white and composed of five petals. This one lacks aroma, but that doesn’t stop pollinators from visiting it for food.
What to do to make it bloom?
It is a plant that is not always easy to maintain, since depending on the conditions of the region, it can be, in fact, very demanding. To this we must add that you cannot put any type of substrate, nor water it with water, because if we did it probably would not last long. For this reason, we want to tell you how to take care of it so that it can produce its beautiful flowers every spring:
Plant it in a pot with a suitable substrate
This is the basis. The pot must be plastic, and it must be filled with a mixture of blond peat mixed with perlite in equal parts.. Because? Well, because if the container was made of any other material, it would gradually degrade and the roots would have many problems, since they are not prepared to absorb nutrients directly.
And as for the substrate, it is for the same reason. Pure, uncomposted blond peat not only lacks nutrients, but also has a low acidic pH, which the carnivore needs.. And perlite is added just to improve water drainage, because if there’s anything his root system can’t tolerate, it’s waterlogging.
You can buy blond peat by clicking here, and perlite by clicking on this link.
Don’t keep the plate always full
Some people usually place a plate under the pot and fill it with water whenever it is seen without. Well, this is a problem, especially in winter, when the substrate takes much longer to dry out. That is why, Yes, you can put a plate on it, but always remember to empty it.
For this reason No need to plant either Venus flytrap in a pot without holes. As beautiful as a pot is, if it is not going to be useful, if on the contrary it can end the life of the carnivore because of an excess of water in its roots, it is better not to plant anything there.
Water it with distilled or rainwater
If you wish, you can also use the air conditioning. But under no circumstances should you water it with hard water or with a lot of dry residue. The best water for your carnivore is pure water.the more, the better.
As for the frequency of watering, you should water the venus fly trap about three times a week during the summer or so, but they should be more if you see that the substrate dries very quickly. As the temperatures drop, and/or if it rains regularly, the waterings will be more spaced out.
Place your carnivore in a well-lit area
The Venus flytrap should be in a place with lots of light. For him, it should be placed either outside in partial shade or inside a room with windows. Also, if it is to be kept indoors, it is important to spray it daily with distilled water if the air humidity is very low; i.e. you don’t have to do it if it is on the contrary high, because it will rot.
If you’re unsure about the humidity level of where you want to place it, I recommend getting a home-use weather station. Another option is, if you plan to leave it outside, check to see if the outdoor plants wake up wet every morning; if so, nothing more would need to be done.
don’t pay it
If it were -almost- any other plant, I would tell you that for it to flower you need to fertilize it, but the Venus flytrap does not need to be fertilized, never. As I mentioned before, the roots cannot absorb nutrients directly, so if fertilized, the plant would die.
Protect it from severe frosts
Image – Flickr/rpphotos
The Venus flytrap is a carnivore that easily tolerates cold, as well as sub-zero temperatures. However, it is necessary to be careful with severe frosts, because if the thermometer drops below -4ºC it will not exceed it. That is why if we want it to flourish, it will be very important to ensure that it is placed in the right place.
Hope you can enjoy Venus flytrap flower.