VFT thinks its summer?

[ateles]

Hi everyone, I am new to venus fly traps but now that I have one, I want to treat it well!

When I bought it from a grocery store about a month ago, it only had the short rosette traps. I've kept it on a cold windowsill but it does look out onto a parking lot with outdoor lights.

Anyway, my plant has grown significantly and put on six new tall summer traps, and it has another two on the way. I'm wondering if it's biological clock might have been tampered with by the cultivars. None of the traps are really turning brown or dying back.

I want to give it a chance to go into dormancy but it doesn't seem to be doing so. Putting it outside isn't an option for me, unfortunately.

I don't know what to do with it. What would you recommend?

Thanks,
ateles

[w03]

Try posting pics? In any case, vfts usually go from tall summer traps to rosette leaves, not the other way around. If it originally had rosette leaves, then went to longer leaves, it is probably from lack of light.

If the plant is not going into dormancy, don't force it. You'll end up doing more harm than good. Or you could just wait; it might go dormant after a while.

[mmlr38]

w03 is probably right. The long spindly growth could be due to etiolation (growth in response to lack of light). If the plant isn't receiving supplemental light (I doubt that the parking lot lights are having much of an affect) and it's staying cool, then it should enter dormancy.

How much direct sunlight does it get in the window?

[ateles]

Thank you for the help!

It's on a southwest-facing windowsill, and I think it gets at least four hours of direct sunlight a day. I've attached a picture.

Thanks,
ateles

Attachments:

[tonge50]

Hi ateles, I've notice that the new stock of fly traps at Home Depot seemed to be in the peek of growth. They are probably induced to be in high gear when we buy them. The last group I got (a couple months ago) are just now slowing down. I moved them into a green house last week just before our first frost. All my VFT's have slowed way down. Short daylight and cold temps have put them in slow motion. All the summer traps have died back and they all show strong new center growth. Just keep the peet moist to the touch and let the daylight and temps guide your fly trap through the winter season. ;D

[Not a Number]

I take it you're living in the Northern Hemisphere. Otherwise it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere and one would expect the plant to grow summer leaves.

It is not unusual for a plant that was propagated from tissue culture to not "know" what season it is. It has been grown under artificial spring/summer like conditions for most of its life.

If I buy a plant from a garden center store in late fall or winter I'll just grow it indoors under lights and give it more natural conditions from then on in the spring.

[Alexis]

Don't get too hung up on the apparent spring/summer traps. Many VFTs do not follow this 'rule' and even divisions of the same plant can exhibit different growth habits from one year to the next.

[ateles]

Thank you everyone for all the help. I'll let it do its thing and stop worrying!