FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I got this baby from a Lowe's just about a month ago. It's been repotted in a taller container and has been hanging out in full sun for a good week now, and this was its first catch!

Unfortunately, in the days following this photo the trap began to brown and rot around its catch. Looks like the little guy was just a little too ambitious.

That usually just means that particular trap happened to be at the end of its lifespan. Or sometimes it's because the bug was too big for the trap -- it literally bit off more than it can chew! There's nothing to worry about as long as it's just *one* trap that's going bad, and if it proceeds from the trap end down toward the center. It's when things move in the *other* direction that you need to be worried.

I'm surprised that's a typical from Lowe's. The cilia look *very* short, almost like a Sawtooth variety. Also, what kind of media are you using? Pure sand? It's not white like silica sand. Seems like such an odd color and texture.

Haha yes, I'm not at all concerned about the trap. The plant is happy and vigorous overall, and its roots showed lots of new growth when I repotted it. That trap had only recently opened so I'm confident it just bit off more than it could chew so fresh out of the death cube!

It's potted in 50/50 peat moss and perlite, btw; the sand is just a top dressing. It is silica sand, just darker from moisture. Dry it's much, much lighter.

Also, I know, the teeth are so interesting! I was surprised when the first new traps opened and had such fine, dense teeth. The traps' coloration is also different from a typical. Even in full sun they hasn't developed much red pigment, just the faintest blush of pink.

Yeah the texture of it looks way off though, from any silica sand I've seen when damp. Looks like play sand to me.

Hmm. If it looks suspect, I'll replace it with a LFS dressing. Better safe than sorry.

The packaging was labeled "washed silica sand" and "100% quartz" but who knows what, uh... 'artistic liberties' the manufacturer has taken with that statement.

I noticed that the sand didn't cloud the water much when I washed it, and it didn't react at all with vinegar... I might soak some in RO water for several days and test the water's TDS periodically to see if they're potentially leaching any salts.

That is a great find for a Lowe's plant! I'm so jealous. My box stores only carry lost causes.

I'm sure you'll see that guy take bigger mouthfuls than that eventually.

Best of luck!

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If it said 100% quartz you're good, must just be a MUCH smaller grading than I've seen used for carnivorous plants.

Interesting teeth. If the other traps cilia are similar you may own a new mutant i.e. cultivar.

Yes, that's an exciting thought. I'm waiting to see what the traps look like once the plant is fully adjusted to the outdoors and its new pot. Top growth has slowed for the moment, but I'm thinking it'll come back soon enough. So far it's proven itself to be a pretty resilient specimen.

Little update. Traps are getting bigger! I came home from a 3 day trip to find nearly every newly opened trap full. Warms my heart.

Oh also, there is a tiny second growth point emerging from the rhizome. I can't wait to see it grow next spring!