How to care for a Venus flytrap at home? Venus flytrap care at home than to feed wintering.

The Venus flytrap, also known as Dionea, is a fairly popular indoor plant all over the world. Lovers - flower growers acquire it most often because of the original exotic look, the bright color of its traps and unusual, for the most part indoor plants, behavior. This carnivorous plant is a predator. Watching the process of catching some insect with a flycatcher is very interesting and funny. But caring for a Venus flytrap at home is not an easy task. We will try to help you in this difficult matter.

Growing a Venus flytrap at home is not easy. Will have to try and create for her optimal conditions close to the conditions of its natural growth. And we will tell you what rules must be observed for its normal growth and development.

Location and lighting

The tropical predator grows well on the eastern and western window sills of the apartment, even better on the southern ones, provided it is shaded at noon. She loves fresh air, needs frequent airing of the room. But it must be protected from drafts! In summer, it is advisable to take out a pot with a small predator in the garden or on the balcony. There she will quickly begin to feast delicious insects. If the climate in your area allows you to grow a flycatcher in the garden, then the dimensions of the planting container should be increased to 20 cm deep and 30 cm wide. The surface of the soil should be covered with moss.

Venus flytrap loves bright sunlight

The Venus flytrap loves bright sunlight. But turning the bush towards the sun with different sides is not worth it - the flycatcher does not like this. Try to have the sun illuminate it for at least five hours a day, preferably in the mornings and evenings. But the rest of the time, Dionea should not suffer from a lack of lighting. She will like light partial shade in the middle of the day. On the winter time the plant should be brought into the basement to prevent it from freezing.

When growing Dionea in an apartment, in spring and autumn, she will clearly miss sunlight. You will understand this by the elongated and pale leaves. Organize artificial lighting for the plant using a fluorescent lamp or a phyto lamp. The backlight should be turned on for more than long time so that the daylight hours are 12-14 hours.

Venus flytrap in florarium

Often the Venus flytrap is grown in aquariums, special terrariums and florariums, to maintain high humidity. Then artificial lighting with a lamp with a power of at least 40 W is installed above the plant at a height of 20 - 25 cm for 12 - 15 hours a day.

Flower content temperature

Dionea - thermophilic flower. During the period of active growth and the formation of traps, a temperature of 22-30 degrees is considered comfortable for him. Celsius. In hot summer months the temperature can rise even higher without prejudice to the growth and development of the plant. But, the constant year-round high ambient temperature is contraindicated for him - he will not live long with you. The flower needs an annual rest in the winter. The temperature at this time, for three to four months, should be reduced to a minimum, not higher than 5 - 7 gr. Celsius.

Watering

IN vivo The habitat of the Venus flytrap grows on such poor soils that for many centuries its roots have completely forgotten how to absorb mineral salts from the soil. Therefore, the plant should be watered only with clean rainwater. It is better to accumulate and store it in plastic containers - it is not advisable to use metal tanks and buckets. Note that in our environmentally unfavorable time, rainwater may also contain impurities. Therefore, it is better to use distilled, filtered or pre-boiled water for irrigation. We do not recommend using tap water, even if it has been settled for a long time.

The soil in the pot of a small predator must always be moist, otherwise the lack of moisture will kill the traps. Water the flower only in the pan. It is impossible to allow the soil in the pot to compact from the top watering and deprive the root system of oxygen. We recommend putting sphagnum moss on the surface of the substrate in a pot so that it does not dry out. upper layer soil. To better moisten the soil in the pot, so much water is poured into the pan so that it covers the bottom of the pot with drainage holes, then the flower itself can replenish its moisture needs. It is necessary to monitor the quality of the water in the pan. Prolonged stagnation of water should not be allowed.

• In hot weather with low air humidity, it is necessary to constantly spray the flower and its surrounding space from a spray bottle.
• In winter, when the flycatcher rests at low ambient temperatures, you still need to monitor the condition of the soil. It should not dry out, but its waterlogging can also provoke root rot.

soil and pot

Choose a light-colored pot for your Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap in the wild prefers nutrient-poor soils. If you plant it in nutrient soil, then its roots simply will not be able to absorb mineral salts from fatty soil. The plant will get sick. The best soil for the flycatcher there will be a mixture of quartz sand and high-moor peat in equal proportions. You can use perlite instead of sand, only it will have to be soaked well in distilled water a week before planting, changing it twice for a fresh portion. Sometimes a mixture of peat (4 hours), perlite (2 hours) and sand (1 hour) is prepared.

When choosing peat, it should be remembered that Venus flytraps in nature grow on enough acidic soils- with acidity pH from 3.5 to 4.5.

The best place to grow a Venus Flytrap is in a glass container such as an aquarium. In it, the flycatcher will be protected from drafts, and there will be no obstacles to fresh air. If you plant Dionea in an ordinary pot, then it should not be too wide, no more than 10 - 12 cm, but 20 cm will go deep. The color of the pot is also important. Let it be light, as in a dark pot root system flycatchers will get very hot from the sun. The flower itself loves the sun very much, but its roots can suffer from overheating. Cover the surface of the substrate in the pot with damp moss. Drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and a tray underneath are required. But drainage is not needed. There should always be fresh water in the pan. It also happens that sphagnum moss is placed there to maintain the humidity necessary for the flower.

Planting and transplanting Dionea

In order to choose a variety to your liking, read our article. If you have already purchased a bush in a store, it is better to immediately transplant it into your own, pre-prepared substrate. To do this, carefully remove the flower from the shipping container. Try to clean the roots from the ground, even wash them in warm distilled or boiled water. In a container prepared for planting, at least 20 cm deep, lay a layer of substrate. Drainage is not required. Place the root system of the new pet in the middle of the pot and sprinkle it with soil along with the stem. It is not necessary to tamp the soil with your hands. Water the plant. Put in warm place in light shade. The flycatcher will get used to the new soil for a long time - within a month. During this period, it should be well watered and protected from the scorching sun.

There are practically no indications for annual transplants of the Venus flytrap, since its soil is not depleted, and there should be no salting if you water the plant, as expected, with boiled or filtered warm water.

In late spring - early summer, the Venus flytrap begins to bloom. A long peduncle appears from the center of the rosette, at the end of which there is a corymbose inflorescence of small, star-like flowers. white color. Flycatcher flowers smell good. Their flowering lasts almost two months. If you are not going to get flycatcher seeds that have matured by autumn, then it is better to cut off the inflorescences that have appeared while they are in buds, as long-term flowering greatly depletes the flower and prevents it from fully developing and forming healthy traps.

Fertilizers and dressings for Dioneya

The Venus flytrap does not require fertilizer for houseplants in their normal form. The root system of the plant is not accustomed to taking nutrients from the soil. But for the development of the plant, its growth and flowering, these nutrients, especially nitrogen, are simply necessary.

The best fertilizer for Dionea

Dionea synthesizes the nutrients necessary for life on her own. For a nitrogenous dessert, she catches insects with her trapping leaves. The prey of the flycatcher is not only flying flies and bees, but also crawling spiders, ants, bugs, slugs and other similar insects. All of them, caught and digested carnivorous flower, play the role of nitrogen fertilizer, stimulating the plant for new growth and development. If you don’t have flies, spiders, or at least mosquitoes in your apartment, you yourself will have to catch them on the street or in the country and feed them alive to a tropical predator. Exactly, alive - the Venus flytrap does not feed on dead flies! The flower needs such top dressing no more than twice a month.

When choosing food for your pet, you need to remember a few points:

• do not feed the flycatcher with worms and insects with a hard shell;
• leaf beetles are not suitable for her lunch, as they can damage the trap;
• no need to feed a diseased plant, first you need to cure it;
• you should not feed a newly transplanted flower for some time - let it get used to the new soil;
• no need to feed the flycatcher during its winter rest;
• you can’t give the flycatcher meat and other food products of people - the traps react only to living food;
• do not catch large insects. It is necessary that they are entirely placed in traps. If part of the victim remains outside, then a tight seal may not work. The trap will not be able to properly digest the captured prey, it will turn black and fall off. For an ideal lunch, the prey should be the size of one third of the trap.

Interestingly, the Venus flytrap eats organic food only when it lacks nitrogen, that is, when it is hungry. At other times, mosquitoes and flies do not bother her. And if you try to feed her in the absence of appetite, she will ignore all your attempts.

And one more rule. No need to once again touch the leaves of the trap. The trap, not receiving protein food and slamming shut in vain several times in a row, will cease to function, turn black and die ahead of time.

We remind you that you should not feed a flower a lot and often either. Digestion of prey occurs on average within 10 to 14 days. The larger the insect, the longer it takes to digest. How older age traps, the slower the digestive juices are released, the longer the process of digestion of food takes. The warm season, on the contrary, contributes to faster digestion of prey. In any case, the interval between feedings should be at least two weeks, even better - once a month. It is enough to feed only one or two traps at one time. Remember these traps and do not feed them for a month and a half - two months. At your next meal, feed the other two traps. It is important to know that overeating, that is, an excess of nitrogen in the tissues, is not desirable for the flycatcher - it becomes lethargic and can get sick.

If your flower grows on outdoors, worry about feeding him at all is not worth it. If you see a closed trap mouth on a flower, it means that the flycatcher recently caught and ate someone. Just watch how she lures the prey and catches it cleverly.

Winter rest period of the Venus flytrap

At the end of September, all feeding of the flycatcher stops - the predator is tired of hunting and begins to prepare for winter rest. A sign of this will be the cessation of the formation of new leaves in the plant. Old leaves will begin to darken and fall off. The outlet will shrink. Flycatcher feeding is postponed until spring. She needs less and less water, so she can be drained from the pan. You still need to water, but less often and more moderately, if only the soil in the pot does not dry out at all. Moreover, you will have to monitor the condition of the soil at all times of hibernation. In case of drying out, as in the case of waterlogging, the flycatcher may not wake up in the spring.

In December, the Venus flytrap should be moved to another, cooler, but not necessarily dark place with a temperature of 2 to 10 degrees. Celsius. Sometimes they take out a pot with a flycatcher in basement. You can put the pot in plastic bag, and store it in the lower compartment of the refrigerator or on a glazed loggia. In this form, the flower will be three to four months, that is, all the time of the winter hibernation of the plant. In February, the Venus flytrap slowly wakes up. The flower is taken out of the cold captivity and returned to its old place, warm and well lit. Last year's traps should be cut. Start caring for the flower. Watch the indicators of humidity and temperature, water, spray. Only by the end of May, the Venus flytrap will begin to actively grow and develop.

If winter holidays was full-fledged, the plant with renewed vigor will continue its life in your apartment, and will surprise and amuse you for many more years.

Reproduction of the Venus flytrap

This predator reproduces in four ways: cuttings, dividing the bulbs, with the help of seeds and peduncle.

cuttings

For propagation using cuttings, a leaf without a trap is chosen. Process the cut with a root. The stalk is planted with the lower white part at an angle in a container with wet peat or a mixture of peat and sand. The lid is tightly closed. Put in a well-lit warm place. High humidity, lighting and temperature must be maintained throughout the rooting. Within two to three months, the first shoots will appear at the base of the cutting. It will be another two to three months before a new pet can be transplanted to permanent place.

Branch of baby bulbs

In an adult plant, many daughter bulbs form over the years. The Venus flytrap prefers to grow in close family company, next to its children, and noticeably weakens with their frequent separation. Therefore, no more than once every three years, these bulbs can be carefully separated from mother plant together with the roots and plant in separate pots. Sprinkle the cuts with crushed charcoal. At first, the seedlings are covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect and kept in partial shade until they take root.

How to grow a Venus flytrap from seed

In the photo, the seeds of the Venus flytrap

This is the most difficult and, most importantly, unpredictable way to get a new plant. A Venus flytrap grown from seed may not look like its mother at all, as characteristics genes with this method of reproduction are lost. We can get seeds on our own only from an adult Dionea, older than two to three years. When it blooms, you will have to do the pollination by hand. From each flower, you will collect pollen with a cotton swab or a small brush, and transfer it to another flower. This procedure will have to be repeated several times over several days. If pollination is successful, the flycatcher forms a fruit in the form of a box. In autumn, a ripened dry box will give you seeds that can be planted immediately in the ground. It is impossible to delay this for a long time, since the seeds lose their germination capacity over time.

If you bought seeds of any variety of Venus flytrap from the store, the process of planting them is the same as with your own seeds.

First of all, take care of the preparation of the planting container, substrate, greenhouses. We recommend that you use a container with a lid for planting seeds. Put a mixture of moss - sphagnum (2 hours) and sand (1 hour) at the bottom of it. Pre-treat the flycatcher seeds with Topaz solution according to the instructions. Then lay them out on the surface of a damp substrate. Close the container with a lid and place it preferably on sunny place. If there is no such thing in the room, then find a place under a fluorescent lamp or under a phyto lamp so that the container is illuminated for 12 to 14 hours a day. The temperature of seed germination should be maintained within 25 - 30 gr. Celsius. Humidity - the maximum possible.

The seeds should hatch within a month, sometimes a little earlier. Moisten the substrate, if necessary, with warm distilled water using a fine spray bottle. When the first leaves appear, the greenhouse should begin to ventilate. First, they open it for a short time - the seedlings should gradually get used to the fresh air and harden. After a month, the lid can not be closed, and after some more time, the strengthened sprouts will need to be dived into separate pots, 8–10 cm in diameter. These little ones will become adult predators in five years.

peduncle

In the spring, a long peduncle appears on the Venus flytrap. In a small predator, 10–15 cm high, the peduncle can reach up to half a meter in height. young plant may simply not overpower such flowering and get sick. If you doubt the strength of your flycatcher, immediately cut off this peduncle. But don't throw it away. It can be used to breed your exotic. To do this, cut off the peduncle when it is still not very long, about 5 cm. They stick it into wet peat to a depth of 1 cm. Cover it with a film or a transparent cap - greenhouse conditions are needed. Rooting will last a long time - one and a half to two months. At this time, monitor the humidity of the peat, ventilate the greenhouse. The peduncle may even dry out, but you patiently wait for the allotted time. Usually, young shoots appear on time. After another month, you can transplant it into your pot.

Diseases of the Venus flytrap

This plant is very hardy, it rarely gets sick. But, if you try and break all the rules of its maintenance, then the flycatcher will stop catching flies.

With constant waterlogging of the root system and low room temperature, fungal disease roots, stem and gray rot on the leaves. These diseases are treated chemicals- fungicides, of which there are a great many in stores.

A bactericidal lesion that occurs due to the fact that the flycatcher, for some reason, is not able to digest the caught victim is very dangerous for the plant. The trap with the insect inside begins to rot, blacken. This disease can quickly spread to neighboring traps and plant tissues. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the damaged trap in a timely manner, and treat the entire flower with a suitable preparation - a fungicide.

If you start watering the flycatcher with hard water, then it will accumulate in the soil a large number of calcium, which will cause the leaves of the plant to turn yellow.

If you forget to water the flycatcher, and the soil often dries up, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. The soil under the plant should always be slightly moist.

From direct sunlight passing through the glass, on the young leaves of the Venus flytrap occur sunburn. Look where the pot is - perhaps it should be moved to another place or slightly shaded.

Pests

Conclusion

We talked in this article about the conditions for comfortable living in room conditions unusual tropical plant- Venus flytrap. If you want to grow it at home, our tips will come in handy. We are sure that it will not only decorate your window sill, but will also replace your pet. You will water her, take her out for a walk, protect her from drafts and diseases. And what other flower will open its trap mouth for you when it is hungry? Do you remember the last time you caught flies? So, you will quickly learn how to catch different insects if a hungry Venus flytrap with open bright red traps is waiting for you at home.

The Venus flytrap is a plant belonging to the sundew family. This name is unscientific, according to the official classification, it is called "Dionea flycatcher" ( Dionaea muscipula). IN natural conditions grows on scarce soils in several US states. The lack of nutrients necessary for life in the earth has led to the fact that the plant has adapted to catch and digest insects.

Dionea flycatcher - a low plant with a shortened stem and a rosette of modified leaves, similar to the valves of a clam shell with long teeth along the edges. On the internal surfaces"shutters" are hairs that react to the movements of insects. With sufficient stimulation, the leaves close with the intersection of the teeth, like a zipper.

A special digestive fluid begins to be produced by the glands immediately after this. Digestion lasts up to 3 weeks. With the subsequent opening of the valves, only the chitinous shell of the victim can remain between them. A "peculiar trap" can digest up to 3 victims. After that, its functions are considered fulfilled, it dries up. When imitating the swarming of an insect, for example, if you move a brush inside the valves, they will slam shut, but after a day they will open, recognizing the deception.

From the center of the rosette of leaves, flower stalks appear over time, on which inflorescences develop. The flower of the Venus flytrap is a large white cinquefoil. The fruit is a box in which black shiny seeds ripen.

Venus flytrap at home needs bright lighting (without shading) with sunlight for several (at least 4) hours a day. An influx of fresh air is also needed. In the summer season, it can be moved to outdoor balcony or to the garden, where she will have the opportunity to catch insects. The location in relation to the light should not be changed, the plant does not tolerate this well (it is convenient to make a small mark on the pot).

The Venus flytrap should hibernate at a temperature of about 7 degrees and sufficient lighting. Home care during this period will consist of minimal watering. A rest period is needed for a long time - about 3.5 months. Without a decrease in temperature, the predator plant will not live long.

The soil requires a non-nutritious venus flytrap. Home care involves moderate watering with warm distilled or boiled water. The roots of the plant must have access to air. The capacity for planting should be taken small.

Feeding fertilizer is not required for a plant such as the Venus flytrap. Home care in this matter consists in delivering live insects to leaf leaves if she herself is not able to lure and catch them. A few pieces per season will be enough.

It is advisable to transplant annually, optimally after wintering. As a substrate, you can not use universal purchased soil. It must be prepared independently from high-moor sour peat and perlite. The components must be mixed in approximately equal amounts.

Propagated by peduncles and the separation of daughter bulbs of the Venus flytrap. Home care consists in separating overgrown nests during transplantation. They are cut off using a sterile instrument and dusting the damaged areas with charcoal. After flowering, the peduncle must be removed without waiting for the seeds to ripen if they are not supposed to be used for propagation. It can be planted in suitable soil, covering with a bag with small holes. Even if the peduncle dries up or turns black, it should not be thrown away, after 2 months young sprouts should appear.

The Venus flytrap is a plant that is not easy to care for, but it is worth making friends with it, if only because it is rarely found in our homes. Surprise and delight of guests will be guaranteed to you.

The Venus flytrap, or Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that grows in peat bogs among pine forests in the eastern United States, near Atlantic Ocean where the wet reigns temperate climate. It became carnivorous in the process of evolution due to a lack of essential nutrients in the soil. nutrients required for plant growth and development.

The soil on which the Venus flytrap grows has a lack of nitrogen, and its balance is shifted to the acid side. Without a sufficient supply of nitrogen to the plant body, it is difficult for the plant to synthesize proteins and thus continue to grow. Therefore, to replenish nitrogen reserves, the Venus flytrap hunts for insects and digests them. This means that every fly or ant caught and digested by this plant acts as a nitrogen fertilizer, stimulating the growth and development of Dionaea muscipula.

The Venus flytrap hunts for insects with the help of leaves (there are from 4 to 7 of them in a plant), which have a unique structure. The leaf of a plant has two main areas:

• The wide part is called the base of the leaf. There are all conditions for photosynthesis and nutrition with the help of the root system.
• The part that acts as a trap is called the leaf blade.

The blade is located along the edge of the sheet, which consists of two halves connected by a longitudinal vein. Each flycatcher trap has two to five "trigger hairs" on each lobe (usually three). Along the edge of the blade are denticles shaped like fingers. In Latin they are called cilia. When the trap closes, these fingers intertwine. The base of the leaf and the blade (trap) are connected by a piece called a petiole (a botanical term for the stem of a leaf).

Closing mechanism

The top of each side of a Venus flytrap trap is colored with anthocyanins, pigments that give the surface of the trap its red coloration. This coloring is the main bait for insects in this plant. The cells of the trap also secrete a sticky substance, which is a type of protein. After the insect crawls into the trap, it begins to wallow on the slippery and sticky surface, greedily licking off this substance, touching the trigger hairs that signal the trap to close.

The trap closing mechanism of the Venus flytrap can be divided into four main phases:

1. Initial slam.
2. The compression phase.
3. sealing phase.
4. reopening phase.

"Trigger hairs" are indicators for the plant, which determines by their fluctuations that potential prey is trapped. If two hairs are touched at once or one is touched twice in a row within 30 seconds, the trap closes in a tenth of a second.

The flapping movement of the Venus flytrap is one of the fastest movements that plants are capable of. The amount of time it takes Dionaea muscipula to slam shut is highly dependent on ambient temperature, lighting, plant health and other factors. However, the trap of a healthy plant in warm conditions closes very quickly.

The details of the slamming process are actually quite complex. Scientists are currently investigating this process and are putting forward various hypotheses, which include an instantaneous increase in cell size and an “unstable latch state”, which are under the control of this plant.

Recent studies conducted in 2005 by Harvard scientists show that the Venus Flytrap's trap closing mechanism is based on biochemical and elastic processes. They cause the leaf tissues to stretch to the point of instability, and when the hairs are touched, the plant instantly pumps water into the leaf, causing it to collapse.

Compression phase

If the initial closing of the trap is successful, the contraction phase begins, which lasts about half an hour. The process looks like this. In the process of fighting, the insect inside the trap continues to touch the “trigger hairs”. This signals to the flycatcher that it is necessary to clamp the doors further in order to keep the victim inside. If the insect is small enough, it is able to slip through the teeth of the trap and escape.

The contraction phase does not occur if the slam is unsuccessful in finding prey. This happens if, when the flaps collapse, the insect managed to get out of the trap or there was a fluctuation of the hairs caused by other sheets, raindrops, or a person who put a finger in there. Then the trap begins to slowly open and opens completely in a day or two. But if this touching of the hairs occurs several times, it can lead to blackening and death of the trap. In subsequent times, the collapse rate of the same trap drops significantly.

Sealing and opening phases

If the trap has successfully captured the prey and the insect has not escaped before the contraction phase begins, the sealing phase begins. During this phase, the teeth of the trap move forward and outward, so that they no longer intertwine with each other. As a result, the edges of the flycatcher lobes (blades) on both sides are tightly pressed against each other. When the seal becomes dense and impenetrable, digestive enzymes begin to be released. The insect sinks in them and is gradually digested.

Over the next 5-12 days, the trap remains closed for the duration of digestion. At this time, digestive enzymes continue to be released, dissolving soft tissues insect. Nutrients contained in the tissues of the insect are released in the form in which they can be absorbed by a flycatcher leaf.

The amount of time required to completely digest the prey depends on the age of the insect, the trap and the temperature. environment. The larger the insect, the longer it takes to digest. The older the trap, the slower the release of digestive enzymes, the warmer the weather, the faster digestion.

For a perfect "lunch", the insect should be one-third the size of the trap. If the insect is too large, or if any part of it hangs from the trap, the seal may not be tight. Because of this, the trap may die. It turns black, dies and falls away from the plant. Basic part The leaf will continue to supply energy to the plant through photosynthesis, but new blades with teeth capable of hunting will no longer grow on it.

After the end of dinner, the leaf absorbs substances along with the digestive fluid that the plant received as a result of the digestion of prey. This signals the plant to open the trap again. All that remains after dinner by this time is the external skeleton of the insect. It can be washed away by rain, blown away by the wind, but it can also serve as bait for the next victim. Very often, spiders or ants are lured by a corpse, which ends with the next dinner for the Venus flytrap.

After several successful hunts in a row, the trap ceases to function. The plant itself lives much longer: with favorable conditions it can function for twenty years.

Growing a plant at home

Although the Venus flytrap is found in nature only in the eastern United States, it can also be grown at home. The plant is very picky, so it requires careful care. Experts recommend growing Dionaea muscipula in an aquarium that will provide the plant with the necessary level of humidity. Venus flytrap should not be placed in the shade or in the sun, otherwise it will quickly die. The ideal option is to grow on the window, which is located on the east side of the house.

You can't touch the Venus flytrap. If you touch the trap a couple of times, after a while the trap will turn yellow and fall off.

Dionaea muscipula should not be watered with tap water: better rain or distilled, fertilizers should not be added to the water. This must be done carefully, making sure that the earth is moist and not wet, otherwise the root system of the plant will begin to rot. Spray the Venus flytrap several times a day.

The flycatcher needs to be fed once every fourteen days. It is undesirable to put dead insects: only live ones. Even better if Dionea hunts on her own. For this purpose, live insects must be lowered into the aquarium. Then Dionaea muscipula can handle itself. At the same time, she will be able to independently decide when she needs to have lunch.

In winter, the Venus flytrap will hibernate for 2-5 months - and decreases in size. The leaves are getting Brown color and fall away. This allows the plant to continue its life as long as possible.

Venus flytrap, referred to in "academic circles" - Dionea, usually causes a double feeling. On the one hand, this is a pretty plant that surprises with its unusual shape and coloring, and on the other hand, it frightens with a “toothy jaw” and a predatory, not at all flowery disposition. But in any case, the Venus flytrap will never go unnoticed and always attracts attention. And the owners of this exotic are proud of her no less (or even more) than orchids, azaleas, indoor bananas and pineapples.

Even beginner gardeners can grow and successfully care for a Venus flytrap. Despite the exoticism, dionea is not at all a capricious plant and caring for it is a little more difficult than for familiar geraniums, hydrangeas or begonias.

Venus flytrap (Dionea): cultivation and care at home

Location and lighting of the plant

First of all, you need to take care of good lighting. Without getting enough light successful cultivation Venus flytrap is impossible. She absolutely cannot stand his lack. It is highly desirable to even receive some portion of direct sunlight. But especially to get involved in the bright sun should not be. Although the bright rays of the sun may not harm the plant itself, the hot midday sun can greatly heat the pot along with the ground, and, accordingly, with the roots. Such overheating can cause significant damage to the flower. When choosing a place to place the Venus flytrap, first of all, you need to be guided by the consideration that for successful growth it needs at least four hours of intense lighting. The best option is a place near the eastern and western windows. South windows are also suitable, but in this case, shading will be required during the hours of a particularly scorching sun. north side absolutely not suitable for keeping a Venus flytrap. But if there is no other way out, then the plant can be illuminated artificially. Special lamps to illuminate the plant are not required. It will be enough to place two fluorescent lamps of 40 watts of power at a distance of 20 centimeters from the flower.

Second important point when choosing a place for a Venus flytrap - an influx of fresh air. Stale, stale air is very harmful to her. In this regard, I would like to note that if the climate in your area allows, then for the summer it is better to take it out into the fresh air altogether.

Important! Before you take your Venus flytrap outdoors, choose a permanent location for it, with adequate lighting, protection from wind and rain. This is necessary so that you do not have to rearrange it. During the period of active growth, she does not like various kinds of rearrangements and turns.

Watering the plant

The watering of the dionea itself is normal - overdrying of the soil, as well as waterlogging, are undesirable. Let the topsoil dry out between waterings. Bottom watering can be used to avoid unwanted, accidental ingress of moisture into the mouths of the plant. The main thing to pay attention to Special attention when watering dionea - the quality of the water. Ordinary water from the tap is not good, even well-settled. The impurities contained in it, and not precipitated during settling, can seriously harm the Venus flytrap. Only well-filtered water can be used. Distilled, rain and pure snow water is also suitable.

Feeding the Venus Flytrap

If we are already growing a predator plant, then we need to take care of feeding it. Almost everything you need useful material it receives from the sun, by photosynthesis. Top dressing is necessary for her mainly to obtain nitrogen. But its excess is no less harmful to the flower than its deficiency. Therefore, it is important not to overfeed. True, the "organism" of the Venus flytrap is designed in such a way that it simply will not accept excess food, but each extra triggering of the trap takes a lot of energy from the plant and weakens it. For the same reason, you should not tease your mouths for the sake of curiosity or mischief, forcing them to slam shut.

Very important!!! No fertilizers can be applied under the plant. For him, they are fatal!

The feeding process itself is the same as for other carnivorous plants (for example, a pitcher plant). That is, not all traps feed, but only one or two. When doing this, follow the order: at the next feeding, give food to other traps.

Note. Each trap feeds three times, after which it dies off, and the process of food processing takes quite a long time (about ten days).

Insects intended for feeding should not be particularly large and must be alive. Otherwise, the process of their processing will not start. The fact is that the traps of the Venus flytrap are equipped with very sensitive hairs. These hairs (the so-called triggers) play the role of indicators of movement and react to the movement of the victim. This allows the plant to distinguish between food and randomly trapped specks. For the same reason, you do not need to feed the Venus flytrap with pieces of meat, sausage and other "non-living" food. She will not accept her, and she, in turn, will begin to rot in a trap, causing great harm flower.

In winter, Dionea retires and does not particularly need feeding, it is relevant only in summer, during the period of active wakefulness. If during this period it costs you fresh air, then she is able to take care of her own food, but the Venus flytrap standing in the room will need to be fed. But more than once every two weeks, this should not be done. It's okay if you suddenly miss a scheduled feeding. Dionea can do without feeding for a long time, about two months. Closed traps indicate that the plant does not need to be fed. Also refrain from it if the Venus flytrap looks sick, depressed, immediately after transplantation or acquisition, with a lack of light.

rest period

It comes at the end of autumn and passes very clearly. The leaves darken and fall off, the whole plant shrinks. Flower growers unfamiliar with this feature of the plant begin to panic and, mistaking a natural phenomenon for the death of the plant, simply throw it away. But this is not only a natural, but also an extremely necessary state of the flower. Wintering of the Venus flytrap should take place in very cool conditions (but not frosty). She does not need lighting at all during this period, so finding a cool place for wintering is not difficult. For this, an insulated but cool loggia, a dry basement, and indeed, any place where you store vegetables stocked up for the winter, is suitable. Even a refrigerator will do. If desired, you can leave it on the windowsill, if it is cool enough there in winter. During the entire dormant period, monitor the condition of the earth in the pot. Often watering the plant during this period is not necessary, and it is harmful. But it should not be allowed to completely dry out either. The ground should only be slightly damp.

Awakening usually begins at the end of winter (in February). It lasts slowly, and only in late spring - early summer does active development begin.

Venus flytrap transplant

Many flower growers do well without this event. This is due to the fact that the soil for the Venus flytrap is neutral, does not contain nutrients and there is no need to renew them. When using water that does not contain salts and completely eliminating fertilizing, the soil does not become saline, and for this reason it is also not necessary to change it. The need for a transplant may arise during flooding (souring of the soil), plant disease and other troubles. In this case, you can transplant the dionea at any time. If you decide to just change the pot, then it is better to time the transplant to coincide with the spring awakening. The most suitable time is the end of April. In this case, by the time of active development, the Venus flytrap will come up strong and fully prepared.

As I have already noted, the land for transplantation (planting) should not contain nutrients. For this, either pure peat, or mixed with perlite or sand, is best suited. Choose a pot deep enough. The roots of the plant grow mainly in depth, and their twenty-centimeter length is not uncommon. Also, give preference to white pots. This will protect the earth from overheating during sunny hours.

Important! Be very careful when transplanting. Dionea roots are very fragile and easily damaged.

After transplanting, increase the watering rate and do not rush to immediately put it in a lighted place. Keep the plant in the shade for three to four days.

Reproduction of the Venus flytrap

babes

This is the easiest way to propagate this plant. But they should not be abused. From frequent divisions, Dionea is greatly weakened. You can divide the bush no more than once every three years. The division procedure is not complicated, but requires care and accuracy in order to avoid damage to the roots. The onion selected for separation is carefully cut off with a sharp, disinfected knife. Slices on the mother plant and the separated onion must be sprinkled with wood powder, activated carbon or fungicide (for example - "Fundazol").

seeds

This method is also not particularly complicated and practically does not differ from the same method of propagation of other indoor or garden flowers. But it is used mainly by professionals for the purpose of selection or mass production. The main problem of such reproduction, as it may sound strange, is the high probability of flowering of the plant. Although this is a natural process, when growing a Venus flytrap at home, it only harms the plant and can kill it. The fact is that the development of a huge (half a meter or more) peduncle, the plant consumes a very large amount of energy. Therefore, to maintain a healthy plant, flowering should not be allowed. When a peduncle appears, cut it off without a shadow of a doubt. But at the same time, the flowering of the Venus flytrap can be used as an intermediate stage of reproduction.

Reproduction by peduncle

You can cut it when it reaches a height of 4-5 centimeters. Then it is planted in a pot of peat to a depth of one centimeter and covered with any transparent cap. During the rooting process, keep the soil constantly moist and ventilate it regularly by removing the cap for a few minutes. The rooting process itself is quite lengthy and can take up to two months. After a while, the peduncle may begin to fade and dry out, but this does not mean that nothing happened. Very often, after the withering of the peduncle, young plants sprout.

Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) - carnivorous plant, which is part of the Rosyankovye family. She is the only representative of a kind of Dioneus. scientific name the plant was probably given to him by mistake. From Latin, it translates as "mousetrap." In Russian, the flower is called venus in honor of the Roman Venus, the goddess of love and flowers. This plant is native to South America.

The Venus flytrap is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Description, photo and distinguishing feature of the Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap is a small herbaceous plant with a rosette of 4-7 leaves 4 to 7 cm long. Venus leaves grow from a short bulbous underground stem. Its flowers are small, shaped like a star, located at the ends of the stems. It blooms in early summer, and its total life expectancy is about 7 years. The formation of long leaves-traps occurs after flowering. Traps consist of two opposite petals with spikes on the edges. The outer part of them is painted bright green, the inner reddish.

Trap closing mechanism

The main feature of this plant are the leaves-traps. In nature, they are located close enough to the ground, so insects are easily caught in them. Inside each trap there are small hairs, they act as sensors.

A one-time touch on the antennae will not give any consequences. This is necessary in order to avoid "idle" slamming due to falling raindrops or branches on the traps. But when an insect touches two different hairs, the trap instantly closes. This happens very quickly, in 0.1 seconds. There is no exact description of how the trap works, but scientists believe that it is associated with the instantaneous transfer of water between plant cells.

After the trap is closed, the venus begins to secrete digestive enzymes and dissolves its prey within two weeks. After that, the trap is ready to search for a new victim. For your life cycle each trap can catch up to 7 insects.

Rules for caring for a venus flytrap at home

Place your Venus flytrap out of direct sunlight.

IN natural environment The Venus flytrap can be found in southeastern Northern California as well as in northeastern Carolina. It grows in open, sunny, moist meadows or swamps. Venus prefers swamps with peat and sandy soil. It can grow at home, but for this it is necessary to create conditions for it as close as possible to its natural habitat.

Location, lighting and optimal temperature

Venus flytrap is a photophilous plant. She needs at least 4-5 hours of light per day. The best location for it would be the western and eastern windows. You can also place it in the south, but you should be careful not to get direct sunlight through the glass on the Venus flytrap. They can be detrimental to the plant. Therefore, if it is impossible to avoid placement on the southern windows, then in the daytime summer hours it is better to remove the plant deep into the room or shade directly on the window. When located on north windows Venus will not have enough light, in which case artificial lighting can help.

As for the temperature, then Venus is quite hardy. In winter, it can be kept in bright rooms with a temperature of about 5-10 degrees, but if necessary, it will withstand more low temperatures. From spring to late autumn, it can be kept in open space e.g. on the balcony or in the garden.

Humidity and watering

Important - do not let the soil dry out

During the growth period (from spring to autumn), venus needs abundant watering. Don't let the soil dry out. You can even place a pot of venus in a 1-2 cm pan of water. You need to water it with distilled or filtered water. room temperature. During the winter dormancy, venus in cool rooms are watered infrequently.

For a comfortable existence of the Venus flytrap, the humidity must be maintained at 70%. To do this, you can constantly spray the venus or grow it in a terrarium.

Soil and fertilizer

The Venus flytrap prefers moist, poor and acidic soil, as its natural habitat is the Carolina swamps. Such soil can be achieved by mixing sphagnum moss and perlite in equal parts. It is impossible to use universal soil for venus, it will simply die in it.

The flycatcher does not need fertilizing. There is also no special need for feeding it with insects, since the plant receives food from photosynthesis. But, if you have a desire to do this, and your plant is healthy, then you need to follow a few rules:

1. The trap will only close if the trapped insect moves. Therefore, remember that it is necessary to feed the Venus only with live insects.
2. You can not feed a Venus with specific food. Flies or mealy worms, or any small arthropods, are suitable for food. In no case do not feed the flycatcher with ordinary food, as it will not be able to digest it and will die.
3. Venus should be fed no more than 2 times a month.
4. You can feed only 1-2 traps.

You can not feed a Venus if:

• not weak or sick;
• experienced stress, for example, in the form of sunburn;
• is in a period of rest;
• was recently transplanted.

Transplantation and reproduction of the Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap propagates by cuttings, seeds and bulbs.

Transplantation must be carried out every 2-3 years. It is best to do this in the spring, when the venus begins to grow. For more successful acclimatization the day before the transplant, you can treat the venus with Epin (2-3 drops of solution per 200 g of water). Prepare a special substrate for transplanting. If it is possible to check the acidity of the soil, then keep in mind that it should be at the level of 3.5-4.5 pH.

When transplanting, an earthen lump must be carefully removed from the pot, the bulb should be separated from the ground. Try not to touch the traps when transplanting. Deepen the Venus flytrap in the new pot so that the substrate covers all the whitish spots on the bulb. After transplantation, it will be optimal to place the pot in a tray and treat it again with Epin.

The main breeding options for Venus flytrap are: seeds, cuttings and bulbs.

Reproduction by cuttings

On an adult plant, several points of growth can be seen. This is the breeding material. Cuttings are cut at the base of the leaf and transplanted into the soil. Cover with a film to create a greenhouse effect Must be constantly maintained warm temperature in the redistribution of 25 degrees and high humidity. It is best to sprinkle the cut points of the plant with crushed coal in order to avoid decay.

Reproduction by seeds

Seeds are sown in early autumn. Pure peat is suitable as soil. They are laid out on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with sifted peat. Seeds need to be created small greenhouse heated and illuminated. It is better to water through the pan, the soil should be constantly wet. Approximately one month later, proper care seeds should germinate. With the onset of spring, the flycatcher must be gradually weaned from the sweat of the greenhouse, at the same time a dive is made. Produce it carefully so as not to damage the root system.

Reproduction by bulbs

Over time, venus forms daughter bulbs. They must be cut with a sharp knife and transplanted. It is necessary to ensure that the cut off bulbs have well-developed roots. The cut points of the mother plant must be treated with crushed charcoal to avoid rotting.

Diseases, pests and possible problems when growing

This is due to hard water.

Like all insectivores, Venus is rarely affected by pests. Occasionally it can be attacked spider mite and aphids. With excessive humidity, the flower can be affected by gray rot or black sooty fungus. In this case, venus can be treated with a fungicide.

Possible growing problems:

• Leaves turn yellow but do not fall off. Most likely, there is an excess of calcium in the soil or you are watering the venus with too hard water;
• leaves turn yellow and fall off. This is a consequence of insufficient watering and overdrying of the soil.
• brown spots appeared on the tips of the leaves. This is a sign of overfertilization of the plant due to high doses or too frequent use. Also spots can be caused by sunburn;

Watch a short excerpt from the Venus flytrap broadcast.