Dionaea flowers

[ICPS-bob]

Although Dionaea flowers are considered by some to be boringly plain, there are interesting differences between some of the clones.

The typical flower has 5 white petals with green or translucent veins. The stigma is usually white or light green.


Some, but not all, of the red clones have a pink to intensely red stigma.


There are many all red clones. This is the only VFT flower that I have seen that has a red pistil and red veins in the petals. Photo courtesy of Laurent Duthion.


In some clones, the petals are broad, as in the photo above, in other clones they are narrow.


The petals of 'Wacky Traps' are extremely narrow.


Sometimes the petals have a different shape, as in this "Cross Teeth". Normally each flower has 5 petals. This flower has 8 petals. Photo courtesy of Trev Cox.


A more complete photo tour of numerous Dionaea clones is at
users.humboldt.edu/rziemer/zphotos/VFT_Flowers.html

If you have photos of different clones, please let me know.

[BarryRice]

Hey Bob,

In 2006, David Connor showed me a monster of a 'Red Dragon' that had really long petioles, large traps, and a huge flower stalk. Everything about it was monstrously large. He was kind enough to let me take a leaf, which I have rooted and will be watching carefully. Anyway, the flower is shown below. In keeping with the plant's other attributes, this beast is overcompensating in the floral department!

I'm curious to see if this is a temporary TC-related phenomenon.

[PlantAKiss]

That's one reason I love macro photography. It shows us details our otherwise weakish human eyes can't see without assistance. The flowers indeed look quite beautiful when you can see all the detail. Thanks for the awsome photos.

[quogue]

Flowers


Close-up


Traps


Notice the reddish flower stalk on the right of the last photo, those traps have been consitantly Orange for a couple years, I'm growing them in stronger light this season to see if it keeps doing that. The large stalk is from the "Giant" I got from Equalibrio.

[endodoc]

Bob
Very nice pics, do you find flowering slows these plants down, I would like to let my plants flower but not at the expense of their vigor
regards
ed

[SilverKiento]

That is so interesting! I never knew that different cultivars of VFTs had different flowers. That is partially because I usually don't let mine flower. I think I'm going to change that as my VFT did not appreciate me chopping off the stalk this past time, now it's only growing these really tiny traps.

[ICPS-bob]

silverkiento said:

I think I'm going to change that as my VFT did not appreciate me chopping off the stalk this past time, now it's only growing these really tiny traps.

If your plants did not respond well to you cutting off the flower stalks, they probably will respond even more poorly to letting them flower. The plant puts a huge amount of "food store" into flowering. Much of that energy has already been expended in initiating the flower stalk by the time you cut it and it may take the plant a while to build back energy to produce normal traps -- depending on how healthy the plant was initially. But, leaving the flower to continue to develop takes even more energy -- leaving the plant in a more weakened condition. Flowering is a natural process. If your plant is initially strong and is growing under good conditions of soil, light, and water, it will recover just fine. If, however, your plant starts flowering in an already weakened condition, it will take a long time to recover (or, in extreme cases, it may actually die).

[endodoc]

Bob
thanks for the reply, I have about a hundred tc vft's (drives my wife nuts) and i cannot keep on top of the flowering thing, it seems like i have to check twice a day and cut off stalks, i was not aware of the fact that once the stalks form, a considerable amount of energy is already spent, i will let some flower, i do think they are some of the best looking flowers of all CP's
regards
ed

[jm82792]

admin said:

silverkiento said:

I think I'm going to change that as my VFT did not appreciate me chopping off the stalk this past time, now it's only growing these really tiny traps.

If your plants did not respond well to you cutting off the flower stalks, they probably will respond even more poorly to letting them flower. The plant puts a huge amount of "food store" into flowering. Much of that energy has already been expended in initiating the flower stalk by the time you cut it and it may take the plant a while to build back energy to produce normal traps -- depending on how healthy the plant was initially. But, leaving the flower to continue to develop takes even more energy -- leaving the plant in a more weakened condition. Flowering is a natural process. If your plant is initially strong and is growing under good conditions of soil, light, and water, it will recover just fine. If, however, your plant starts flowering in an already weakened condition, it will take a long time to recover (or, in extreme cases, it may actually die).

Agreed on of my flytrpas I almost dead minimal roots and sick leafs after 3 monthes of full sun by my happy flytraps that I remove flower stock.

[brian]

It has been mentioned to me that by cutting off the flower you are encouraging them to flower again if the VFT is healthy.

I know this is true with many of the other plant species I have worked with before.

Any ideas?

[brian]

silverkiento said:

That is so interesting! I never knew that different cultivars of VFTs had different flowers. That is partially because I usually don't let mine flower. I think I'm going to change that as my VFT did not appreciate me chopping off the stalk this past time, now it's only growing these really tiny traps.

Don't some varieties grow small traps as part of their cycle?