Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) (MIX) | seeds, 15 pcs.

• Latin name: Dionaea muscipula
• Danish names: Venus fluefanger, fluefanger
• English names: Venus flytrap, flytrap

NOTE: This is a mix of seeds from many different varieties.

Dionaea muscipula is undoubtedly the most iconic of all carnivorous plants – a botanical sensation that fascinates children, collectors, and scientists alike. It originates from a small area in North and South Carolina in the USA, where it grows in nutrient-poor, damp bogs. To survive in these lean environments, it has developed a spectacular strategy: catching and digesting insects.

The plant forms a low rosette of green leaves, the outermost of which end in traps – two hinged flaps with fine, tooth-like edges. On the inside of the trap are small trigger hairs: when an insect touches them twice in quick succession, the trap closes in a fraction of a second. Digestive enzymes are secreted inside the trap, which dissolve the prey and provide the plant with the nutrients the soil lacks.

Cultivation and requirements:

Dionaea muscipula requires damp, nutrient-poor soil and plenty of light. It thrives best in pure sphagnum moss or a mixture of sphagnum moss and perlite, or our special soil for carnivorous plants – never regular potting soil, as the nutrients can damage the roots. Use only rainwater, distilled water, or demineralized water, as it cannot tolerate lime.

The plant should be kept in a bright spot, preferably in full sun, and the soil must be kept constantly moist but not waterlogged. In the summer, it can be kept outdoors, where it can catch insects itself. In Denmark, it must overwinter in a cool place, around 5–10 °C, where it goes into dormancy and partially dies back – a natural part of its life cycle.

Growing from seeds:

The seeds should be sown superficially on damp, sterile sphagnum moss and must not be covered with soil. They require high humidity and light to germinate and should be kept at 22–28 °C. Germination typically takes 4–8 weeks. The small plants are delicate at first, but they soon develop their characteristic traps, which gradually grow larger with each growing season.

Utility:

Although Dionaea muscipula has no traditional utility value, it is one of the most popular carnivorous plants in the world – both as a collector's plant and as an educational tool. It is often used to spark interest in botany and evolution, and its rapid movement mechanism is among the most fascinating in the plant kingdom.

Dionaea muscipula is a living classic – a plant that unites science, aesthetics, and nature's ingenious adaptability in one single pot.

Countless shapes and colors:

Since Dionaea muscipula really became popular in cultivation, a wealth of exciting cultivars and varieties have emerged. Some have deep red traps and leaves (‘Akai Ryu’), others have unusually large traps (‘B52’) or toothless trap edges (‘Fused Tooth’, ‘Cup Trap’). There are even mini-forms and clones with spiral-shaped traps or unique color patterns.

New varieties arise continuously through selection and tissue culture, making Dionaea muscipula an infinitely varied collector's plant, where each clone can have its own distinct expression.

- Read our article on caring for the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

REMEMBER the right soil: Carnivorous plant soil