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Carnivorous Plants/hybridizing venus flytraps

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Expert: - 5/2/2009


Question
So if i wanted to make a "cross" with a cup flytrap and a red dragon, would I just rub the flowers together? I get how you mean that all the venus flytraps are the same.. like dogs. So would the cross result in a red cup venus flytrap?
            Sincerely,
                      Ballsacksplitter

Answer
Probably not. Since you would be mixing up the genes of two very specialized "breeds" of Flytraps it would be a "mutt" so to speak, but the results would be unknown since you are allowing two groups that underwent intentional genetic inbreeding to suddenly interbreed. The offspring would likely all be quite different from one another. You would get much fewer if any cup shaped leaves and the red coloration might be non-existent in some and very pronounced in others.It would take many years of work to get another specific genetic groups that exhibits both deep red and cup shaped leaves at the same time in all likelihood

Yes, you could just simply rub two flowers of each sub-type of Flytrap together and see what the seeds result in when they sprout.

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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