The flowers of the Venus flytrap are often overshadowed by the fascinating trapping leaves. They are very decorative and provide seeds for propagation.
The flowers of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) often do not attract much attention, most people know nothing at all about the beauty of the flower. We explain the optical advantages of the flowers and explain why they are particularly important for the propagation of the Venus flytrap.
Venus Flytrap Flowers: Appearance and Flowering Time
For many Venus flytrap owners, the flowers are only of secondary importance, but they can be very decorative. The hermaphrodite (male and female flower organs combined in one flower) flowers unfold at the top of the flower stalks, which are usually over 30 cm long, and bloom in the colors green and white. The diameter of the flowers is between two and three centimetres, which means they are quite large compared to the other parts of the plant. The long flower stalks create a protective distance between leaf traps and flowers, which saves the life of many a pollinating insect, as it cannot accidentally get caught by the Venus flytrap.
The flowering time of the Venus Flytrap is between the end of March and April. After some time, when the flower fades, the seeds have matured and are ready for harvest.
Pruning Venus flytrap flowers?
The flower of the Venus flytrap is very beautiful to look at, but like every generative organ of a plant, it consumes a lot of energy. This could be at the expense of your Venus flytrap's leaf traps, which may have to lose size as a result. If you don't want to miss out on the flowering splendor of your Venus flytrap, we recommend keeping at least two plants. Prune one in the early stages of flower stalk formation so that numerous, strong snap traps can develop. You can use the second for propagation purposes by simply maintaining the flower.
Harvest Venus Flytrap Seeds
Once the flowers have dried up, it is usually time for the seeds to ripen. To harvest your Venus flytrap seeds, you can either cut off the flower stalks or wait for the seeds to fall out naturally. When removing the flowers, simply gently tap out the seeds in a bowl or on a plate. If you choose the second variant, simply place a bowl under the dried flower and wait until the seed falls out. Alternatively, you can also tie a bag over the flower to catch the seeds.
Note: It is important that the seeds are stored in a dark and dry place immediately after harvest so that they retain their germination capacity. Since the seeds ripen in autumn and the ideal time for sowing is in spring, it is unfortunately not possible to sow directly and the seeds must be stored over the winter.
Propagating and growing Venus flytrap from seeds
There are two ways to propagate your Venus Flytrap. On the one hand, you can breed offspring from seeds in the classic way, on the other hand, there is the possibility of division. You can find detailed instructions on both methods in our special article on propagating the Venus flytrap.
If you want to learn more about caring for the Venus flytrap, you will definitely find what you are looking for in our special article.
Receive our Garden Mail
Register now for our free garden mail and get great gardening tips and inspiration regularly in your email inbox.
By subscribing, you agree that we will regularly send you our newsletter about the garden and product offers by e-mail. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. You can find our privacy policy here.