Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Venus Fly Trap - Zone Pushing


piping plovers

Recommended Posts

This is the 2nd winter that I attempted overwintering my Venus Fly Trap (VTP) outdoors in New England.  It survived last winter looking rough but still green by March but quickly recovered by May.  Put on much growth in summer and traps were really active trapping bugs.  A few traps even had daddy longlegs spiders trapped. I estimate their native US hardiness zone to be 7b to 8 ish on NC & SC coast.  I am marginally 7a here in coastal RI so I planted it in the warmest microclimate in the yard;  up against the south facing foundation wall in soil that remains moist.  It has its own little glass greenhouse cover with rocks to radiate back any passive solar heat during night time.   
 

Anyone else have luck zone-pushing these in zone 6 or other areas outside the Carolinas?

Few pics below in December/January.  Real cold arrives this week so this is the best it will look until March.

Suffers some necrosis and traps die back with the January February cold nights but still holds some green.

3262C904-36B0-40D5-B52B-FCF3030F9DFE.thumb.jpeg.bcd16f10b678abdbd0ac2554690f918a.jpeg

Participating in the TINY HOME MOVEMENT in its little passive solar winter cottage (fallen icicles on ground in front):

CB6ABD50-BA8C-4152-9394-DE54ABBF57F2.thumb.jpeg.2e99ad3cab523b706b5398e4a76f430d.jpeg

Am careful to keep any dried maple tree leaves out of there so I don’t inadvertently start a magnifying glass-type fire with the glass panes. Rocks are spread out around the plant under the glass.

  • Like 4
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Not really zone pushing here, but I've grown flytraps in 7B for years here in the south. Fully hardy - they go through a period of dormancy naturally in winter where summer traps (like those in the image above) die off and low growing smaller traps, or trapless leaves are produced during winter. When spring arrives they begin sending up flower stalks, and tall spring traps. 

I have a small pot of them here in 8a.  Sarracenia are also fine here. I have a small clump in my waterfall but need to remove it and pot it up on a proper setup (our water is too alkaline and has too many TDS in it for carnivore's so I water only with rain water or distilled in a pinch.)

 

IMG_9498.thumb.JPG.7e7326521581ba12c9afee8cf8b4a003.JPG

  • Like 3
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dartolution,

Your climate should be perfect for flyers to be outdoors year-round as long as you create the proper bog environment for them.  I could see them naturalizing in an area with a climate like yours in a wet area.

Piping Plover, best of luck.  Keep us up to date.

-Michael

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/18/2022 at 1:07 PM, Dartolution said:

they go through a period of dormancy naturally in winter where summer traps (like those in the image above) die off and low growing smaller traps, or trapless leaves are produced during winter

Interesting to know about the trapless leaves in the winter.  I noticed that —or maybe they had real tiny traps—last February when they were really hunkering down for the dead of winter here.

Also, is that a red VTP  or is that just a winter color?  I never knew Red ones existed, but shouldn’t be too surprised.  Really cool. They even look more menacing in red.   lol

15 minutes ago, palmsOrl said:

Piping Plover, best of luck.  Keep us up to date.

-Michael

Sure, Michael—will do.  I read online that they could be hardy to even zone 4 outside with protection, which really surprised me. I know the internet can’t always be trusted for information but it was a website with a lot of good, thorough information on VTP, so gave it benefit of doubt.  I figured that zone 6 would be their limit.

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, piping plovers said:

Also, is that a red VTP  or is that just a winter color?  I never knew Red ones existed, but shouldn’t be too surprised.  Really cool. They even look more menacing in red.   lol

@piping plovers It is. The cultivar is Red Dragon. Stays that red year round. 

 

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

My VTP survived it’s 2nd winter in the garden in RI.  We had several nights at about 9 degrees F.  I used a min/ max thermometer in its little dome greenhouse and I recall the min temp was approximately 18 degrees F  on those coldest nights.  A south facing microclimate against a masonry wall and then enhanced microclimate  with the glass dome over the VTP.  Held some green leaves the entire winter here.  Here it is already catching bugs this spring.

696C10F1-4895-48D9-BD27-33B356725558.thumb.jpeg.d7de6e4d3320fbfa8c903d0043dfdd97.jpeg

  • Like 3
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking good. Our have already flowered here of course. Looks like yours have several flower stalks on the way! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks!  Do you remove the flowers before they bloom?  I read somewhere that removing them conserves more energy for trap production.

unless, the flowers draw in insects that are trapped later.  Interesting the blooms are held high above the traps as I guess it would be counterproductive for the VFT to trap it’s pollinators interfering with seed production.  Very complicated issues for these plants to maneuver ;) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow another plant group I’ll have to give a shot!!! I had always assumed these were very cold sensitive until I read an article that plant delights put out. 
What’s the typical growing conditions needed, moist with filtered sun to shade I would guess? 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, piping plovers said:

Thanks!  Do you remove the flowers before they bloom?  I read somewhere that removing them conserves more energy for trap production.

unless, the flowers draw in insects that are trapped later.  Interesting the blooms are held high above the traps as I guess it would be counterproductive for the VFT to trap it’s pollinators interfering with seed production.  Very complicated issues for these plants to maneuver ;) 

If you want seed sure leave them, if not, let them come up a bit, and then snip at the base. 

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, teddytn said:

What’s the typical growing conditions needed, moist with filtered sun to shade I would guess? 

I always assumed with NC/SC coastal bog situation that they would need full sun, hot humid growing season and cooler to cold winter conditions.  Not rich soil, and no fertilizer.  Given that, i grow in a small low pot with spagnum/peat moss only, set the pot in a shallow saucer of water in garden, full sun.  Others on here may have better advice.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, piping plovers said:

I always assumed with NC/SC coastal bog situation that they would need full sun, hot humid growing season and cooler to cold winter conditions.  Not rich soil, and no fertilizer.  Given that, i grow in a small low pot with spagnum/peat moss only, set the pot in a shallow saucer of water in garden, full sun.  Others on here may have better advice.

Definitely not an area of much personal experience, but, from a habitat perspective, sounds right..  Have seen pictures where people set up " Bog " ponds, adjacent to a standard fish pond, just for growing these and other Carnivorous plants / specific Orchids / native stuff that like the same conditions. 

On a side note, Have heard California Pitcher Plant can be really tough to grow, unless you can replicate the specific conditions it wants.. Other pitchers are much easier.  Also, If anyone back east can find then, Stream Orchid,  Epipactis gigantea is a really cool, ..and cold hardy Orchid for near a stream / pond,  bog, or wet woodland garden. They even grow near streams in some of the mid elevation mountain areas here, and in parts of the hill country just west / northwest of San Antonio, and Austin in Texas..   Zones: 5-10.  https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/50715-Epipactis-gigantea
 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, piping plovers said:

I always assumed with NC/SC coastal bog situation that they would need full sun, hot humid growing season and cooler to cold winter conditions.  Not rich soil, and no fertilizer.  Given that, i grow in a small low pot with spagnum/peat moss only, set the pot in a shallow saucer of water in garden, full sun.  Others on here may have better advice.

I would agree with this. They are extremely easy to grow - far easier than people believe them to be. 

1) Full sun is best

2) Use glazed ceramic or plastic pots - say no to terra cotta or basalt pots - ceramic MUST be glazed on the entire interior as well

3) use ONLY Rain or distilled water to water

4) a Peat/sand mix, or pure peat, or pure sphagnum moss is just fine (NO FERTILIZERS OR ADDITIVES!) These plants are adapted to live in nutrient poor soils with bad drainage

5) use a deep saucer under the pot and keep water in it at all times. 

6) watch em' grow and have fun. 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple interesting Carnivorous plant- related articles..  First one is a complete surprise.. Have seen these in habitat a few times.

https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2021/8/10/the-carnivorous-plant-guild-welcomes-a-new-member

https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2021/6/21/pitcher-plant-moths-and-their-pitcher-plant-homes

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

A couple interesting Carnivorous plant- related articles.. 

Enjoyed this read.  Particularly this:

“…With few exceptions, the vast majority of carnivorous plants keep their feeding organs away from their flowers. The leading hypothesis on this suggests that separating feeding and reproduction in space (and sometimes time) helps carnivorous plants avoid catching and digesting their pollinators. However, T. occidentalis does the opposite. It produces all of its sticky hairs very close to its blooming flowers…”

Thanks Silas.  Fascinating to come across something in habitat when you are accustomed to only seeing in print, photos etc.

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

It’s entering its third winter outdoors; last week it got down to approximately 10 degrees f. Likely slightly warmer in its little greenhouse.  20B921ED-C2A4-4842-B932-822B7F61789D.thumb.jpeg.3c16dc5443bcda9a35f8264ee8943b2a.jpeg

last summer in its happy time:

A45ED248-A396-48C4-9BFF-A691B702C6CC.thumb.jpeg.b335b7f9a57fd13feed482168af8a9c0.jpeg

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@piping plovers Looks normal for this time of year. I have them outside year round here. We just experienced some of the worst cold since 1989 with over 80 hrs below 30, and an ultimate low of 10.2F in my yard. I do not protect mine ever, and they survive. Yours should be just fine come spring! :) 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

The low was negative eight (-8) degrees F. last night in my town in RI.  Close to breaking a 40 year record for cold here. The Venus Fly Trap still has some green traps visible.  Here it’s in a little glass unheated greenhouse dome against south facing foundation of the house. We had a pretty mild winter so far except for a cold snap on Christmas weekend. Prior to last night, I think the coldest outdoor temperature it faced over past two winters was approximately 10 degrees F. 

999A35CE-CF5E-4ED6-B0E5-675EBC79B34C.thumb.jpeg.e1bc2e88491b8044d0976fe7228ad30a.jpeg

5B3818F4-6719-4D59-9287-B03BCB1420BB.thumb.jpeg.bdb837f52abefd702766aa30f83510c9.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

I thought we had a catch -all ( pun ..or no pun.. intended haha ) Carnivorous plant thread, but i guess not -yet- ,lol..   Anyway, interesting article for the Carnivorous plant connoisseurs among us :greenthumb::

https://www.lex18.com/news/office-of-kentucky-nature-preserves-announces-new-carnivorous-plant-discovery

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

I thought we had a catch -all ( pun ..or no pun.. intended haha ) Carnivorous plant thread, but i guess not -yet- ,lol..   Anyway, interesting article for the Carnivorous plant connoisseurs among us :greenthumb::

https://www.lex18.com/news/office-of-kentucky-nature-preserves-announces-new-carnivorous-plant-discovery

lol.  

And fascinating discovery of this Round-leaved Sundew.

Been seriously considering a sundew plant in my kitchen right next to the fruit bowl.  Too many fruit flies lately.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/10/2022 at 2:57 PM, piping plovers said:

This is the 2nd winter that I attempted overwintering my Venus Fly Trap (VTP) outdoors in New England.  It survived last winter looking rough but still green by March but quickly recovered by May.  Put on much growth in summer and traps were really active trapping bugs.  A few traps even had daddy longlegs spiders trapped. I estimate their native US hardiness zone to be 7b to 8 ish on NC & SC coast.  I am marginally 7a here in coastal RI so I planted it in the warmest microclimate in the yard;  up against the south facing foundation wall in soil that remains moist.  It has its own little glass greenhouse cover with rocks to radiate back any passive solar heat during night time.   
 

Anyone else have luck zone-pushing these in zone 6 or other areas outside the Carolinas?

Few pics below in December/January.  Real cold arrives this week so this is the best it will look until March.

Suffers some necrosis and traps die back with the January February cold nights but still holds some green.

3262C904-36B0-40D5-B52B-FCF3030F9DFE.thumb.jpeg.bcd16f10b678abdbd0ac2554690f918a.jpeg

Participating in the TINY HOME MOVEMENT in its little passive solar winter cottage (fallen icicles on ground in front):

CB6ABD50-BA8C-4152-9394-DE54ABBF57F2.thumb.jpeg.2e99ad3cab523b706b5398e4a76f430d.jpeg

Am careful to keep any dried maple tree leaves out of there so I don’t inadvertently start a magnifying glass-type fire with the glass panes. Rocks are spread out around the plant under the glass.

Well done in success in growing your flytrap it’s more of a water game with flytraps not to much but not drying out once you get it right carnivorous plants are easy you should try a pitcher plant 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, piping plovers said:

lol.  

And fascinating discovery of this Round-leaved Sundew.

Been seriously considering a sundew plant in my kitchen right next to the fruit bowl.  Too many fruit flies lately.

Haha, That's one way to eliminate fruit flies and any Mosquitoes that get into the house for sure.

Been tempted by some of the Mexican Pinguicula  but wayyy too hot / dry here. Maybe later once back in CA.  Think it would be neat to have one of those self -contained, columnar rock fountains with Pings stuffed into all the natural crevices of the rock(s).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Mexican Pinguicula

I frequently find myself needing to look up plants that you mention in your comments, Nathan.  I was not familiar with those carnivorous plants——-and they come with the added bonus of attractive flowers as well!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, piping plovers said:

I frequently find myself needing to look up plants that you mention in your comments, Nathan.  I was not familiar with those carnivorous plants——-and they come with the added bonus of attractive flowers as well!

I've seen a few sps. sprinkled among offerings at some Orchid sale events and have always thought they'd be a interesting complement to other insect eaters and certain leaf Succulents / Orchids / semi- Xeric ferns that grow in similar habits, esp. in Mexico.  Interesting too that some species switch between a rosette of insect trapping ( Carnivorous ) leaves ..say in Summer,  and regular, non- insect trapping leaves in winter,  while others sps. retain the insect trapping leaves year round.

Flowers are a definite bonus.  Very similar looking to true Violets.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/8/2023 at 2:50 PM, happypalms said:

carnivorous plants are easy you should try a pitcher plant 

I’ve been growing this tropical pitcher plant since March.  It put on alot of growth this summer; it was too small for pitchers when I first purchased.  I’d like to see if I can find some temperate-climate pitchers to grow outdoors with my VFT.

IMG_8011.thumb.jpeg.66cd3f3575ff1a0b0e9bbf5a4d5a5dca.jpeg
 

IMG_8013.thumb.jpeg.2a8a70a66b4a0c6a3c1f5d58b51be161.jpeg

IMG_8014.thumb.jpeg.92d26a20811160183a19a658eab08d57.jpeg

IMG_8016.thumb.jpeg.b64b27677ca31a2f659f62421efb3475.jpeg


 

On 11/8/2023 at 1:53 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

thought we had a catch -all ( pun ..or no pun.. intended haha ) Carnivorous plant thread, but i guess not -yet- ,lol..

All carnivorous plants are welcome and no reason why this can’t become a catch-all thread😁

My VFT is entering its 4th winter outdoors now.  At latitude 41 N, sunlight angle is low now in RI and until all the shade tree leaves fall, my VFT is struggling to get any direct sunlight.  It goes through this necrosis every year at this time. I’ll place it back in its little glass protection house against the south facing foundation wall and it’ll get better sunlight (at least for several hours daily ) by December. Since it survived the record cold lows of -8 F last winter, I’m pretty confident it’ll be reliably cold hardy here in RI for years to come with the microclimate it’s growing in.

IMG_8012.thumb.jpeg.ed411bea2190fcbac02324e53cf2174c.jpeg
 

 

 

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, piping plovers said:

I’ve been growing this tropical pitcher plant since March.  It put on alot of growth this summer; it was too small for pitchers when I first purchased.  I’d like to see if I can find some temperate-climate pitchers to grow outdoors with my VFT.

IMG_8011.thumb.jpeg.66cd3f3575ff1a0b0e9bbf5a4d5a5dca.jpeg
 

IMG_8013.thumb.jpeg.2a8a70a66b4a0c6a3c1f5d58b51be161.jpeg

IMG_8014.thumb.jpeg.92d26a20811160183a19a658eab08d57.jpeg

IMG_8016.thumb.jpeg.b64b27677ca31a2f659f62421efb3475.jpeg


 

All carnivorous plants are welcome and no reason why this can’t become a catch-all thread😁

My VFT is entering its 4th winter outdoors now.  At latitude 41 N, sunlight angle is low now in RI and until all the shade tree leaves fall, my VFT is struggling to get any direct sunlight.  It goes through this necrosis every year at this time. I’ll place it back in its little glass protection house against the south facing foundation wall and it’ll get better sunlight (at least for several hours daily ) by December. Since it survived the record cold lows of -8 F last winter, I’m pretty confident it’ll be reliably cold hardy here in RI for years to come with the microclimate it’s growing in.

IMG_8012.thumb.jpeg.ed411bea2190fcbac02324e53cf2174c.jpeg
 

 

 

 

:greenthumb: .. I know there have been at least one or two other Carnivorous plant threads in the past, but neither seemed to get much traction..

I still remember seeing people hauling large Nepenthes specimens they'd purchased back to their cars at various plant sales in FL and the Orchid expo i'd attended in San Francisco. The species that can capture Mice is a bit intriguing.

You should be able to find a ton of Temperate Pitcher plants at any specialty nursery there since several sps  are native to that half of the country..  California Pitcher, Darlingtonia californica might be harder to track down.. Have heard it can be temperamental as well.  Species ( Albany Pitcher Plant ) from the S.W. corner of AUS looks interesting too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

California Pitcher, Darlingtonia californica might be harder to track down.. Have heard it can be temperamental as well.  Species ( Albany Pitcher Plant ) from the S.W. corner of AUS looks interesting too.

The California one has a fascinating form, giving me Paphiopedilum orchid vibes.  Extraordinary colors on the Aussie one too.

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, piping plovers said:

The California one has a fascinating form, giving me Paphiopedilum orchid vibes.  Extraordinary colors on the Aussie one too.

 

It's an interesting plant.. Have seen specimens a couple times and can see thinking of Slipper Orchids upon first sight. I'd thought there was a population of the California Pitcher not far from where i grew up that would be easy to visit, but, lol..  turned out the closest population to San Jose is up by Ft. Bragg, N.W. of Santa Rosa..  Venus Fly Trap, 2 or 3 Sundew sps, Common Butterwort,  and White Pitcher Plant, in the larger " North American Pitcher Plant " Genus Sarracenia, apparently grow in the same area as well.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought mine at Lowe's and have it in the refrigerator right now.  It needs its dormancy.  This is a good way to simulate dormancy in climates that are too cold too.

-John

Edited by SFLP48584
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, SFLP48584 said:

This is a good way to simulate dormancy in climates that are too cold too.

Ah, good idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...