Venus Fly Trap Growth
... supplement their nutrition. Scientists are not sure what the plants evolved from, but many think they were once a form of a Sundew, another form of carnivorous plant. Venus Flytraps attract insects by secreting a sweet nectar smell. When the insect goes on the plant, it closes in less than a second. The plant knows when to close because it has tiny hairs all over the inside of the trap. These hairs have to be moved at least two times before the plant closes, this is so the plant will not close if a leaf or rain drop falls on it. After the plant closes on the insect it begins to immediately release acid inside the trap. This acid breaks down the insect into a digestible form. After the insect has been adequately broken down, the plant absorbs the nutrients needed and opens back up. They continue doing this process to obtain the nutrients that the soil they live in does not provide. If Venus Flytraps would have not adapted as they did, then the species could be gone from existence. Most gardeners agree that Venus Flytraps are typically extremely easy to grow. Some even say that the less you try to take care of them the better they grow. They do however have some special needs. Venus Flytraps need to be grown in an area with a good amount of sunlight, or bright lamps. They also need a warm and very humid environment. Putting them into an aquarium tank or terrarium will help with this. You could also just place them in a container covered with water at the bottom. If they do not have the adequate amount of warmth and humidity, the leaves become black and die. Venus Flytraps should never be given fertilizer. This causes them to become very soft and weak; it also decreases the size of the plant. They should also be given distilled water. They require distilled water because any other type of water could possibly have minerals or other things that could be harmful to the plant. Giving them regular water would be like giving them fertilizer. Although Venus Flytraps in the wild require insects and other animals as a food source, they do not always have to consume insects if grown outside of their natural environment. This is because plants bought commercially usually have more nutrients in the soil than they would in a natural environment. Scientists and gardeners say f you do give them insects, it will just make them grow faster than if you did not give them any. It is also important to not give them too many insects. Giving them too many insects makes the plant use more energy that is needs to. If a trap is given a large amount of insects in a short time period, it could cause the trap to die. Typically it takes Venus Flytraps three to four years to fully mature from a seedling to flowering age. The seeds of Venus Flytraps are small, black, and round. They resemble small black pearls. After the seeds are planted they start to mature in six to eight weeks. In the early summer, flowering takes place for Venus Flytraps. There are three to ten flowers in a cluster on a leafless stalk, and the five petals on each flower are white and have green veins. The new stalks continue growing until late October when they begin to go into a hibernation stage. During this dormancy period the Venus Flytraps start to grow very slowly, and most of the stems turn black and die. Many people trying to raise the plants believe that the whole thing has died, but it hasn...