DIONAEA MUSCIPULA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION, CULTIVATION - BIOLOGY - 2025

Dionaea muscipula, also known as Venus flytrap, is a species of carnivorous plant belonging to the Droseraceae family. This species obtains most of its nutritional requirements from the digestion of living organisms, especially insects.

The trap - fly catcher - is made up of a terminal leaf with two blades that present sensitive trichomes on the inside. When the insect makes contact with the trichomes the trap is activated, but closes only if the contact is repeated within the next 20 seconds.

Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap). Source: © Citron

The Venus flytrap is a short plant that grows on poor soils, deficient in essential elements such as phosphorus and nitrogen. They are slow-growing species that survive in sandy soils with a high content of peat continuously.

It is a species native to the coastal marshy regions of the southeastern US, specifically in the state of South Carolina. Despite its reduced habitat, it is successfully transplanted and cultivated provided the environmental conditions are right.

Often its propagation is through seeds, leaf and stem cuttings, or occasionally by apomixis of the flower stem. Ornamental producers use the technique of tissue culture to obtain genetically identical seedlings to the mother plant.

Recent studies have made it possible to determine the presence of enzymes related to the digestive activity of the plant when digesting its prey. In fact, various secondary metabolites have been isolated that have a direct effect in the treatment of digestive and respiratory diseases and in the prevention of cancer.

General characteristics

Stem

- Species: Dionaea muscipula Sol. Ex J.Ellis (1768) No. 1172: 1768

Synonymy

- Dionaea corymbosa (Raf.) Steud. (1840)

- Dionaea crinita Sol. (1990) nom. superfl.

- D. dentata D'Amato (1998) nom. nud.

- D. heterodoxa D'Amato (1998) nom. Nud.

- Dionaea muscicapa A.St.-Hil. (1824) sphalm.typogr.

- Dionaea sensitive Salisb. (1796)

- D. sessiliflora (auct. Non G.Don: Raf.) Steud. (1840)

- D. uniflora (auct. Non Willd.: Raf.) Steud. (1840)

- Drosera corymbosa Raf. (1833)

- Drosera sessiliflora auct. non G.Don: Raf. (1833)

- D. uniflora auct. non Willd.: Raf. (1833)

Habitat and distribution

The Venus flytrap is a species that lives in acidic and low-fertility soils, with low levels of phosphorus and nitrogen. In fact, it is located on marshy terrain, swamps and wet grasslands with a high content of sand and peat.

It is a low-growing, slow-growing species that tolerates occasional fire in its wild environment. However, their permanence is subject to periodic burning to suppress other competing species for space and humidity.

Cultivated as an ornamental and exotic species in various parts of the world, its natural habitat is restricted to a specific area in the southern United States. They are endemic to an area of ​​100 km around the town of Wilmington, between the states of North Carolina and South Carolina.

In its natural habitat it adapts to temperate and subtropical climates, with hot summers and mild, cool winters. In this regard, the plant requires to undergo a dormancy period during winter, otherwise it tends to weaken and die.

On the other hand, the low nutritional content of the soil is the reason for its evolutionary process to adapt its functionality as a carnivorous plant. In fact, insects are the nutritional source that you do not get from the soil to complete your metabolic processes.

Colony of Dionaea muscipula in its natural environment. Source: Mark Pellegrini

Reproduction

By seeds

The venus flytrap can multiply from seeds, however it reaches full maturity after 3-5 years. Despite the fact that it is a species that catches insects, they are the ones who intervene in its self-pollination process.

The small yellowish-white flowers of the Dionaea, once fertilized, generate a large number of seeds. These glossy black globular seeds mature 30-45 days after pollination.

Shoots and rhizomes

The venus flytrap reproduces vegetatively from leaf shoots or rhizomes. Reproduction through vegetative structures is the most widely used reproduction method on a commercial level.

The suckers are generated from the base or stem of the plant, which are carefully separated to give life to a new plant. The rhizomes grow horizontally around the plant generating new colonies that can be separated individually.

Culture

- Requirements

Dionaea plants require constant humidity, which is why it is their main requirement for healthy and robust plants. The ideal substrate should be composed of a sandy, porous, well-draining peat bog free of mineral salts.

The crop needs an average temperature during the day between 22-30 ºC in the summer, with sudden changes in temperature at night. In fact, temperature ranges between 5-10 ºC during the night favor its development.

The Venus flytrap requires a dormancy period during winter, being necessary to restrict watering, but provide light and ventilation. From this phase, the frequency of irrigation must be activated, insects provided as food and the lighting and aeration conditions must be maintained.

- Care

The Venus flytrap is an insectivorous species that grows in flooded environments with high relative humidity and warm temperatures. However, as an ornamental plant its cultivation is relatively easy if constant natural conditions are maintained.

Substratum

Soils or substrates with a high content of horticultural sand and peat moss that favor moisture retention are suitable. Likewise, low fertility media are required, mainly low phosphorus and nitrogen substrates.

Seeds of Dionaea muscipula. Source: Rosťa Kracík

Humidity

The soil or substrate requires constant humidity, for which it is recommended to keep a tray with water under the pot. It is recommended to use fresh, distilled or rain water, avoiding tap water due to the presence of mineral salts that can damage the plant.

Fertilization

This species does not require the application of fertilizers. In fact, the nutritional elements it requires for its growth and development are extracted from digested insects.

illumination

The Dionaea requires full sun exposure for its development, in case of growing indoors it is advisable to place it near a window. The higher incidence of solar radiation stimulates the production of pigments necessary to provide the shades -green, red- characteristic of the species.

Temperature

In its natural environment, the Dionaea thrives in warm environments during the day and low temperatures at night. This species has a healthy growth during the summer at average temperatures above 32ºC.

Plants cultivated in an ornamental way are easily acclimatized in environments with continuous changes in temperature, being advisable to maintain temperatures above 30 ºC during the day and low temperatures at night, not lower than 5 ºC.

Plagues and diseases

The incidence of pests and diseases is low if the plant is kept in adequate conditions of substrate, lighting and humidity. However, it is advisable to maintain proper management and constant supervision of their pathological status.

Pests

The herbaceous consistency of Dionaea muscipula makes it susceptible to being attacked by large insects or larval stages of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. In fact, its elimination is carried out through physical control methods, locating and eliminating the pest manually.

In addition, the incidence of minor pests such as aphids, mealybugs or aphids, sucking insects that weaken the plant by sucking the sap occurs. Its control is carried out through the application of contact insecticides and subsequent washing of the plant to avoid toxicity.

A larger insect can attack Dionaea muscipula. Source: incidencematrix

Mushrooms

The main fungal pathogens that affect Dionaea are usually associated with excess moisture and waterlogging of the substrate. In fact, the best control is the elimination of the affected parts, aeration of the plant and regulate the frequency of irrigation.

As a general rule to prevent the appearance of fungi it is important to keep the plant free of withered and dry leaves. For this, it is advisable to carry out sanitation pruning and weed control, as well as regulate aeration and lighting.

Virus

On the other hand, the presence of viruses constitutes one of the most serious pathologies, which is manifested by the deformation of the leaves. However, its appearance is not common, since its incidence requires the elimination of the plant.

References

1. Alcalá, RE, & Domínguez, CA (1997). Biology of carnivorous plants: ecological and evolutionary aspects. Bulletin of the Botanical Society of Mexico, 60, 59-69.
2. Dionaea muscipula. (2019). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
3. Dionaea Muscipula Venus Flytrap (2019) Bestplant.com Everything you need to know about plants. Recovered in: mejorplanta.com
4. Chávez Pérez, J., Rodríguez Huamán, Á., Loayza Gutiérrez, L., Huari Soto, P., & Laguna Runser, J. (2017). Determination and quantification of plumbagin by HPLC-UV extracted from Dionaea muscipula E. cultivated in vitro. Journal of the Peruvian Chemical Society, 83 (4), 382-390.
5. Lecoufle, M. (2007). Carnivorous plants: classification, origin, cultivation and pests. Omega.
6. Scala, J., Iott, K., Schwab, DW, & Semersky, FE (1969). Digestive secretion of Dionaea muscipula (Venus's flytrap). Plant Physiology, 44 (3), 367-371.