Carnivorous Plants/dormancy

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Expert: - 10/12/2008


Question
Can you show me a picture of a Venus flytrap that is in dormancy/entering dormancy because mine, I think it is going in dormancy because the traps are getting smaller, the other leaves are turning black(3 of them( the larger ones)and the growth is becoming slower.

Answer
Hello Arsenio,

I actually do not have a compilation of photos to supply anyone with. You might visit Sarracenia Northwest and see if they have some photos in their archives.

In any event, Venus Flytraps begin to exhibit several physical changes as they get ready for dormancy. As they get shorter light periods each day they begin to grow more slowly, will lose several older leaves, will grow wider, but shorter petioles, and grow slightly smaller traps. It sounds like your plant is getting ready to go dormant. Once it has felt the first cold weather it will almost completely stop growing and basically hibernate for several months until the weather warms and the daylength of sunlight becomes greater.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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