American Venus flytrap - Dionaea muscipula, belonging to the Droseraceae family, is an insectivorous plant, which makes it an extremely attractive specimen for lovers of cultivating interesting plants. The more thatthe breeding of the American Flycatcheris possible at home. See whatcultivating a flycatcher , fertilizing and watering it.
American flycatcher - Dionaea muscipula
American flycatcher - characteristics
This perennial has developed the ability to draw nutrients from living organisms, because in the region where it occurs in nature, the soil is very poor.Well, theAmerican flycatcher comesfrom the coastal wetlands of the USA. It occurs in a relatively small area around North and South Carolina. In nature, the plant grows in swamps with acidic, sand-peat and nutrient-poor substrates. It lives in a humid, warm climate where the temperature in summer and spring ranges from 9-30 ° C, while in winter it reaches even -7 ° C.
In summer, clusters of white flowers, about 2 cm in diameter, appear on the short stems of the flycatcher (the plant grows up to 20 cm in height). The waythis plant catches insectsis extremely interesting. Its heart-shaped leaves, 8 to 15 cm long, form rosettes. A hinge runs through the center of the leaves armed with teeth, which enables them to be closed. There are hairs inside the leaf which, when touched by an insect attracted by plant secretion, cause the leaf to close. This happens very quickly and the insect has virtually no chance of escaping. Digestion can take up to 2 weeks.Then the leaf opens again and waits for the next victim. The plant can also make food through photosynthesis, so insects are not essential for its survival.
American flycatcher - breeding, cultivation
Flycatchers can be grown as insectivorous house plants.Venus flytrap requiresa substrate with a pH of 3 to 5. A mixture of acid peat (no additives or fertilizers) in combination with coarse sand will be perfect. Mix garden peat with sand in a ratio of 2: 1.
The plant should be in a bright, sunny position. A place near the south or east window will be perfect. The amount of light supplied affects the color of the leaves.Flycatcher can be grownin normal room temperature. In winter, a little cooler is advisable, but the temperature must not drop below 10 ° C.
The plant cannot be grown in a room with too dry air. Therefore, especially in winter, when the apartment is heated, it is worth covering the pot with a plant with a plastic dome to help keep moisture.
American Venus flytrap - Dionaea muscipula
Photo. pixabay.com
ProperWatering the American FlycatcherWatering the American FlycatcherWater must always be poured into the stand and kept at a constant level, not exceeding 2.5 cm. In winter, watering is limited, but only enough to keep the substrate moist all the time. When the plant is too dry, its stems and leaves will become limp immediately. When we water it well, its condition will improve again. For watering, only distilled water or rainwater is used (as long as you live in a place with little air pollution). Alternatively, you can water with boiled and standing tap water, as long as it is not too dirty or hard.
Dillardfertilization of the American flycatcheris not recommended. The plant feeds on caught insects.Even if it catches nothing, it will cope with its photosynthetic ability. If for a very long time there is no tasty fly in the range of the plant, we can help it and hunt it ourselves :) You can also give small pieces of meat.
Replant the plant every 2 or 3 years in the spring.Replanting a flycatcheris done in order to replace the substrate or replace the pot with a larger one. Adult flycatchers should grow in pots with a diameter of no more than 9 cm. Use a sharp tool to remove any dead leaves or traps where they turn yellow.
In spring it is worthwhile to propagate the American flycatcherby dividing the rhizomes into smaller parts, which should be planted individually. In autumn, however, you can sow seeds into a mixture of garden peat and sphagnum moss peat.
