Adult Venus Flytrap Potted (Dionaea muscipula, Fly Trap Plant) Ships Free Daily

Description

Growing Recommendations
=Keep roots very wet with filtered, distilled water. Mineral buildup will kill them.=
=High humidity is best.=
=Bright light inside our outdoors.=
=No fertilizer! Only insects, they have a small root system meant to keep them in place more than feed them.=
=They can be kept in the container they are shipped in as the root system stays small.=
=Traps dyeing and turning black as the plant grows is completely normal, Clip them off when they discolor.=
Caution
Shipping can be hard and stressful on plants kept in the dark for prolonged periods but the plants should bounce back within a few days if proper care if given.
Facts About Venus Flytraps
Unlike most plants, Venus flytraps are carnivorous, which means they eat meat. Charles Darwin wrote in his 1875 publication, "Insectivorous Plants," that the Venus flytrap is "one of the most wonderful [plants] in the world." There's no doubt that this opinion was formed after watching the jaws of this plant snap around an insect, capturing it for a meal.
Size
Venus flytraps grow to around 5 inches (13 centimeters) in diameter. Each plant usually has about six stems with hinged leaves. The edges of the leaves are lined with "teeth," and the leaves fit together like a clamshell. When the leaves snap shut, they form a trap. An individual trap grows to around 1 inch (3 cm), according to
I
nternational carnivorous plant society .
Habitat
Venus flytraps are native to North Carolina and South Carolina, but they have been introduced to other states, including Florida and New Jersey. They like the moist, acidic soil found in the understories of forests, according to the
N
ational Wildlife Federation. They also need high humidity and a lot of sunlight to flourish.
Habits & Diet
The most interesting thing about this plant is how it eats. Flytraps lure insects by the reddish lining in the leaves and by secreting a fragrant nectar. When bugs land in the jaws of the flytrap, it doesn't clamp down right away. Sensory hairs, called trichomes, on the inside of the petals essentially count the movements from the insect. There must be at least two movements in 20 seconds or the petals won't close. This prevents it from trapping debris or other items that wouldn't make a good meal.
On the second movement, the plant closes its jaws in under a second by snapping from a convex shape to concave shape. The bristles on the edges of the leaves work like jail bars to prevent the insect from making an escape.
On the third movement, it starts to digest the insect. Digestive juices are introduced to the mouth area and they break down the insect. After five to 12 days, the plant will reopen and the parts of the bug that couldn't be digested fall out.
The Venus flytrap's primary prey is ants, but it will also eat flies, beetles, slugs, spiders and even tiny frogs. Flytraps don't just eat bugs for nutrition, though. Like other plants, they also need water, gases and sunlight. Insects simply supplement their diet, according to the Botanical Society of America.
Reproduction
Venus flytraps reproduce like many other plants. When their flowers are pollinated, they create seeds. The seed mature after four to six weeks and become black and pear-shaped. These seeds are then spread and grow into new plants.
These flytraps can also reproduce asexually. The roots of the Venus flytrap will extend in the soil and create a bulb root. The new flytrap will grow from the bulb. A gardener can then separate the new plant and bulb from the parent plant by cutting the connecting roots.
Classification/taxonomy
Here is the taxonomy of the Venus flytrap, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System:
Kingdom
: Plantae
Subkingdom
: Viridiplantae
Infrakingdom
: Streptophyta
Superdivision
: Embryophyta
Division
: Tracheophyta
Subdivision
: Spermatophytina
Class
: Magnoliopsida
Superorder
: Caryophyllanae
Order
: Caryophyllales
Family
: Droseraceae
Genus
: Dionaea
Species
: Dionaea muscipula
Conservation status
The Venus flytrap is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's
R
ed List Of Threatened Spices. These plants are vulnerable from over-harvesting and habitat destruction.
Another problem for flytraps is proper soil. Forest fires are sometimes beneficial to the understory of a forest. It can clear brush and allow more sunlight through to the understory. Since forest fires are often contained and put out by humans, the trees and brush become overgrown and the Venus flytraps don't get the light they need.