Venus fly traps commonly produce flowers in the spring. A general recommendation is to remove the flowers and stop the blooming process. Today, I will share with you when to remove the flower stalks, how to do this, and some general tips.
When Venus flytrap flower, they produce flower stalks. Those flower stalks look like tubular sprouts that eventually develop flowers at the very end. Producing the branch and, eventually the flowering takes a lot of energy from the plant; for that reason, it is recommended to remove those stalks if you are not planning to collect seeds.
Remove flowers from your Venus fly trap using a sharp and sterilized pair of scissors or small shears. Cut the flower stalk from the base. To minimize energy drainage, remove the flower bud as soon as it sprouts. Wait until the stem grows for at least 3-4 inches to cut if you would like to propagate through stalk propagation.
Because Venus fly trap flower stalks are pretty thin, the only utensils you need are a pair of scissors. I recommend disinfecting the scissors by rubbing some alcohol before you get started.
Removing the flowers from Venus flytraps is not very hard. This video shows the process step by step. Also, keep on reading for more information on how to remove the flowers and how to propagate through stalks.
Steps to remove Venus fly trap flower buds
- Grab a pair of scissors
- Disinfect the blades with rubbing alcohol
- Do not wait until the plant has flowered to remove. Extract flowers when the stalk is growing.
- Separate the stalk from the plant
- Cut the stalk off as close to the bulb as possible without causing harm
- Plant the stem if you wish to propagate or dispose
- Stay alert for more flower stalks; Venus fly traps often attempt flowering multiple times
- Remove all subsequent flower stalks
Removing Venus fly traps is easy; however, deciding to remove the flowers all not can be a challenge. This article can help you make the best decision: What to do when your Venus fly trap flowers
. It includes a decision diagram to select the best alternatives.
When Should You Remove The Flower from Your Venus Fly Trap
Venus fly traps naturally produce flowers every year during the spring. It is an entirely normal process that does not harm the plant. However, it does take some energy from the plant.
This means that if your plant flowers once or even multiple times, it can continue to live without any issues. But, their growth will become stagnant through the growing season. Compared to a venus flytrap that got its flowers removed, that one will appear to be smaller.
The general rule is to remove flower stalks to stop your plant from blooming to save energy. However, if you are interested in observing the flowers, collecting seeds, or are confident with how well your plant is doing, there is no need to remove them.
For most Venus flytraps blooming is a sign of Maturity. Once Venus flytraps are mature (after 3-4 years), they produce flowers every spring. However, there are some exceptions that I should mention. In some cases, unhealthy Venus flytraps that are dying will make flowers as a last resort to reproduce. In those cases, the flower won’t kill the plant but will expedite the inevitable process. This article has a lot of information on this: What does it mean when your Venus flytrap flowers – Risks.
In this first photo, you can see a healthy Venus fly trap growing a stalk. It is easy to see the plant is happy as it has bright colors and several leaves.
Now, compare the first Venus fly trap with this other one. This one is also flowering, but it is not doing very well. The colors are off, it only has a couple of leaves, and one is dying. In this case, I wouldn’t risk letting the bud develop. Flowering could weaken the plant enough that it might end up dead. Of course, that is not the only problem. Besides removing the flower, the plant needs a healthier environment.
There is one point that many miss about flower stalks. Generally, there is an ongoing debate if you should or shouldn’t remove the stalks—however, not many talk about how to use the stalks for propagation.
Venus Fly Trap Flower Stalk Propagation
It is possible to propagate Venus Flytraps through flower stalk propagation. And this propagation method is straightforward.
The process of propagating Venus flytraps through flower stalk cuttings is uncomplicated. First, cut flower stalks after they grow 2-4 inches. Then, plant the flower stalks in carnivorous plant soil. Plant them vertically or horizontally. Finally, provide water and lighting. Flower stalks exhibit growth within 2-5 months.
I have included a brief explanation below with the general steps. Read the complete article on Venus flytrap flower stalk propagation for an overview.
Suppose you wish to try this propagation method. First, you must know that the probability of success is low. However, the process is so easy that you might as well try it.
1.- To start with, you must have a flowering Venus flytrap.
2.- To increase your chances of success in flower stalk propagation, you must obtain the cuttings before the stalks flower. For best results, obtain the cuttings as soon as the flower stalks reach a length of 2-4 inches.
When the stalk is at that stage, it only costs the plant a fraction of the energy, and the stem is still very young and fresh.
3.- To extract the flower stalk, cut them with a sharp pair of scissors. Cut as close to the base as possible, but avoid harming the bulb or leaf.
4.- After you extract the flower stalk, cut it into smaller pieces. The number of pieces will depend on the length of the branch. The general rule is to divide the flower stalk into segments of at least 2 inches in length. If the stalk is skinny, try only dividing it into a length of a minimum of three inches.
5.- Plant the flower stalks into humid carnivorous plant soil. You can plant the stalk by sticking them vertically to the ground and blurring .5 of an inch. Also, you can place them on the soil horizontally and bury both ends with some soil.
6.- After planting the flower stalks, you are all set. If you provide appropriate care, just the same as a Venus fly trap, you should observe some growth within the next 2-5 months.
Without flowers, you will be unable to collect seeds. But cutting the flower stalks allows you to experiment with another reproduction method: flower stalk propagation. And, as you have learned, the flower stalk propagation process is uncomplicated.