Flowering Fly Traps

Earlier this month I got a surprise when three green bulbs started growing from stems on my Venus Flytrap. I had no idea what these bony hand like shoots were.
I had no idea that Flytraps flowered, yet as the days went on the bony fingers began to open, and I could see the beginnings of delicate white flowers.

I just skimmed through the wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Flytrap, and it turns out that healthy Flytraps flower in spring. It seems that many Flytrap growers trim the flower stems early as flowering takes a lot of energy from the plant. However if flowering occurs, successful pollination will produce dozens of small, shiny black seeds.

Flowering has certainly taken a lot out of my little trappy. The flower steams are around three times as tall as the plant. Each one is thick and fleshy, and dominate the entire plant.
In order to flower, my trappy has gone through about 3 times his normal amount of water, and nearly all of his traps have died off. However the flowers look stunning, and the plant in general looks strong and healthy.

I have really enjoyed watching as my Flytrap has produced these stunning delicate flowers. I'm amazed by the results, and hope he can produce more next year. I can't wait to see the seeds appear, I'm wondering if I plant them would they grow?
I guess there is only one way to find out ;-)

Adding a Touch of Life to your Home

I have two new plants in my collection, one is of the Kalanchoe variety, and the other is a Scwarzkopf, or Black Tree.

The Kalanchoe is a flowering succulent, there where many different colours and types, yet I picked one which has flowers the same colour as the tips of it's leaves it looks so cool.
Kalanchoe pictured below:The Scwarzkopf is the most interesting plant I've ever owned, it moves and twists all day. It changes shape, moving so quickly that within ten minutes it can look like a completely different plant. It has the most wonderful rich purple leaves, I really Love it.
Scwarzkopf pictured at the top and below:

I'm starting to get a massive collection of succulents, I've got heaps on new cuttings in the garden which are doing really well too. I think it's amazing how something as simple as a few plants can brighten up a home so much.

Meat Eaters

The flies have only just started to annoy us again here in Launceston, as the weather is slowly starting to warm up. Yesterday I went into the back room, where all of my plants are, and one of the big traps where closed on my fly trap. On closer inspection I realised there was a massive fly in there, it's the biggest my trappy has ever caught. He has grow heaps since last year, and now he has caught the first fly of this season, woot!

I love carnivorous plants, I would love to acquire a Pitfall trap like a pitcher plant. Or a Flypaper Trap like a Sundew or a butterwort. They seem so much more sinister than the fly trap which hides it's prey while it eats it.

I'm certainly a weird one, that for sure ;-) So can anyone spot the leg of the fly in my trap?

The Newest Member of Our Cacti Family

I've been incredibly spoiled today, my partner brought another Cacti to go with out little family of plants. This is him in the picture.

I love him, he is very fluffy, and deceptively dangerous. He is an "Old Man Cactus" called "Cousin It", I think I'll call him "IT"!

The fine hair is to protect "IT" from sunburn. The stronger the the sunlight the better the hair will grow.

If he develops like my other cactus, the hair will get longer when he is happy as well.

He needs water when he is dry and once a month in winter. He also needs a slow release plant food, or liquid feed over 2 months (except in winter).

Aloes: flowering succulents

A couple of days ago my partner brought me a new plant to add to my collection (Pictured right). It is of the Aloe genus, which contains over 400 varieties.

I've just been doing some research on the genus and I've found some very interesting information.

All of the plants in the genus are flowering succulents, and are native to Africa. Most Aloes have rosettes of fleshy leaves.

The leaves are generally long and thick in the middle, tapering off to a point, with spiny edges and the color of the leaves varies from gray to bright green.

The flowers are frequently yellow, orange or red in color and tubular in shape.

Many Aloes have some amazing medical properties, and have been used in numerous ways over time. Aloes have been used in everything from drinks, and food to ointments, and hair styling gel. They are certainly a very amazing genus of plant.

Fanging Out On Flies

I recently found a new hobby; growing succulents, carnivorous plants and cacti. I have always been a bit of a brown thumb, with plants dieing all around me. Yet my partner and I got a cutting from a succulent and so far it has grown really well (Pictured left 29-12-06.)





A few days ago my man brought me an addition to my new hobby; a fly trap pictured below. I brought him the Old man Oscar, also pictured below. He loves cacti, and carnivorous plants too.

I am so proud of my trap he caught 3 flies today! He hadn't caught any until today. So I am so happy. Can you see the fly in the trap?: