Unlike other carnivorous plants, of which there are many different species, the Venus flytrap is only represented by a single species. The botanical name is Dionaea muscipula. The plant belongs to the sundew family and is characterized by its folding traps.
How many types of Venus flytraps are there?
There is only one type of Venus flytrap, the Dionaea muscipula, which belongs to the sundew family. It is characterized by its unique folding traps and is found in its natural habitat in North and South Carolina.
Natural occurrence of Venus flytraps
The Venus flytrap is naturally found in only one region of the United States, namely North and South Carolina. The first plants were mentioned in literature in 1768.
The folding traps snap shut at lightning speed
The traps of the Venus flytrap are particularly characteristic and differ significantly from other types of carnivorous plants.
Venus fly traps form traps that are shaped like a trap. The inside turns bright red, attracting prey such as bees, mosquitoes, ants and spiders. As soon as they touch the inside, the trap closes at lightning speed. This movement is one of the fastest known in the entire plant kingdom.
The prey is digested through secretions. This process takes a few days. The trap then opens again. After seven openings, the life of a trap is over. It then dries out. By then, however, the Venus flytrap had already formed many new traps.
The flower of the Venus flytrap
The Venus flytrap is primarily bred for its traps. The plant also produces flowers that grow on 30 to 50 centimeter long stems.
The flowers are white and green. They are conditionally self-fertile.
Venus fly plants are cultivated as houseplants
In its homeland, the Venus fly plant is partially hardy. In local latitudes, the plant is cultivated as a houseplant because it does not tolerate frost temperatures well.
Caring for the Venus flytrap is a little more complex than other types of carnivorous plants. This is especially true for the humidity that the Venus flytrap needs.
Overwintering is tricky because the Venus flytrap needs cooler but very consistent temperatures. A favorable winter location is therefore in a terrarium (€99.00 on Amazon).
Tip
Unlike many species of carnivores, the Venus flytrap takes a longer time to form flowers. It only blooms for the first time after three or four years. Plants propagated from cuttings, on the other hand, bloom very early.
