FlyTrapCare Forums

All the advice I looked up said to cut off the VFT flower stem. However, mine has now produced some new traps about a third of the way up the stem. Do I just leave it? Can I cut it off and plant it to make a new plant? If so, where do I cut it?

The flower stem is big enough that it's now a moot point of cutting it to save the plant some energy. The plant isn't going to exert much more energy into its production. However, it could be cut and put into the media, with the portion that has the traps just under the media surface, making sure that there is very good contact with the moss to help tell the strike to put roots here.
Do the same with the rest of the flower stalk and you might get more strikes off it.
Good luck, that's very cool.

Thanks. I’ll give that a try!

Congratulations! You're the lucky recipient of false vivipary. This is the name for when one or more plants sprout on the flower stalk. Most of these plants are small, but yours is the largest plant that I've ever seen like this. It's ready to get a pot of its own and say good-bye to mom. I'd cut the stalk about 1 inch / 25 mm above and below the plant, then put it in some damp sphagnum moss or carnivorous plant soil so it can grow roots.

Definitely hoping to get a freakish flower myself come springtime It's just so cool to look at.

Before cutting the flower stalk, I'd see if you can get seeds from the flowers first (if you want them), since it has already exerted the energy to flower.

Thanks MikeB! I’ve done as you suggested - and I also repotted the main plant as it looked very sad. A tiny little new bulb and trap came apart from the main plant so I have planted that too. I hope they survive!

That may be planted a little bit too deep. Where the leaf comes off of the rhizome should be right at the surface of the soil. Also, you will want to keep it in a plastic bag for a month or so until it can develop roots.

Agree with @Panman, the soil level is too high. The white portion of the rhizome needs to be covered but there shouldn't be media in the center of the crown. The leaves will struggle to break through. Maybe you can take off some of the top layer rather than replanting but I wouldn't leave it as it is.

Will do! Thanks for the advice. I honestly think this flytrap has survived by pure luck! I’m no gardener!

Flytraps can be surprisingly tough if you give them half a chance. You're doing well with them so far!