FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

lol my windowsill looks exactly the same as yours!

one mature veuns fly trap, few pots of soil, tweezers and a cut up plastic bottle! did a double take when looking at the picture!

Jimbob

I have a question about flowering: I know you all have said that if the plant flowers that the traps and all that do not get as much energy in all, and I do not want to risk it dying, but I am confused... do you have to let the flowering process happen, or can I cut the whole damn thing off once I see it, without affecting the rest of the plant?

Also, I saw Matt's photos (the one who started this thread, not the admin lol) and a VFT's flower it really cool looking! Is there any way to somehow separate the flower from the rest of the VFT and grow it elsewhere?
~Zy

Zy Starr wrote:do you have to let the flowering process happen, or can I cut the whole damn thing off once I see it, without affecting the rest of the plant?

No, you don't have to let the flowering process happen. You can just cut the flower stalk off as soon as you see it. It will affect the rest of the plant though...in a good way It will have more energy with which to grow new leaves and traps.

Zy Starr wrote:Is there any way to somehow separate the flower from the rest of the VFT and grow it elsewhere?

Not really. I've put flower stalks an inch or so long into tissue culture and they actually continued to grow, but they never really open. They actually turned into new plants. I'm planning on uploading some photos of that soon, so if you're interested, watch the Tissue Culture forum.

wow. your flowerstalks are amazing.
How do you get 4 stalks !! your plants must be really healthy!

Just for a brief update: my plant is starting to make new traps! I think it survived!

Contrary to popular belief, venus fly traps can survive a flower stalk experience. The key to their survival is plenty of sunlight, if the plant has plenty of energy to receive then there is no worries on if it will die or not. If your the type that keep your flytraps inside, then yes there is a possibility, unless in an good window like MattBregazzi's, that it might not survive. I definitely recommend if you guys have flowers, bring them outside or to a reliable window sill to get plenty of sun

I have no idea how I managed to get 4 stalks to be honest! I was unsure at first as to how healthy this was, but the plant seems fine to me now! Just one of those things I guess.

Hi everyone,

As an update: I sowed the seeds I got from self-pollinating my plant (without stratification) and as a result I've had my first ever VFT seeds germinate! I'm a little scared now as to whether they'll make it through this autumn and winter, but having read some other posts on here I intend to treat the seedlings the same as my other plant, and hope this works!

Matt

Resist the urge to put them under lights indoors. Treat them like you would your regular sized VFTs over winter and they will grow happily!

Thanks Adam, will do! In fact your advice comes as a relief - at one stage I suspected I might have to invest in a light and give them all kinds of special care. Phew!

It only damaged mine. It seems everything else takes more advantage of the water, light and heat. The algea, mold, fungus and other stuff killed a large percentage of my seedlings.

Another quick question regarding flowering guys -

Now that my plant has successfully flowered, the stalks are gradually going black from the tip down, and I've been cutting off the dead portions. The stalks are sort of obstructing the growth of some traps, however, so would I be ok to cut off the stalks (the living parts) at the base and remove them altogether? Would this run the risk of killing my plant?

Thanks,

Matt

I do not know if it would work with a stalk that has given seeds, out but i have read a few posts about some people planting the stalk in medium before they try to get seeds out of it and seeing if they get a strike the more experienced guys in here will tell you if you can or cannot. So do not throw them away just yet.

Go ahead and snip them off if you don't like them. They are dying anyway. And, probably are still demanding more water from the roots.