Dionaea muscipula “Centurion” is a beautiful hybrid between G10 and g16, very colourful and vigorous by Roberto Restelli (Paradiso Carnivoro).

Where we found Dionaea muscipula “Centurion”?

Diflora started the in vitro propagation of Dionaea muscipula “Centurion” from flower scapes kindly provided by Roberto Rastelli (Paradiso Carnivoro) in order to keep the genetic characteristics of the mother plant unchanged.

How we cultivate Dionaea muscipula?

Dionaea muscipula “Centurion” is acclimated in a Grow Chamber with controlled temperatures and humidity. This indoor setup ensure an easy adaptation to extra-vitro condition, guaranteeing the best conditions for plants in this delicate stage.

After this first step Dionaea muscipula is bringed outside, under direct sunlight with the classic tray system as watering method and so, keeping always some amount of water in the tray. As with the most of carnivorous plant we use distilled water (produced by a reverse osmotic system) or rain water.

All available plants at Diflora’s shop are hardened for 2 months in full sunligh in greenhouse.

Dionaea muscipula “Centurion” is a carnivorous plant from temperate climate, it’s grown outside all year long, under direct sunlight both in winter and in summer.

The plant starts to sprout out from late march, early April and continue to grow until late October when the cold temperature become more and more strong. When fall comes Dionaea muscipula produce a rosette of smaller dimension then the previous vegetative leaves with the aim of protect itself from freeze, exposing as less surface as it can to the below zero temperatures of winter.

This resting period is called “dormancy”: the central part of the rosette stay alive while all the rest turns brown and seems  to be dead. BUT IT’S NOT DEAD! It’s the normal seasonal adaptation of a Venus Fly Trap that goes in dormancy until the first warmy days of spring.

How Dionaea catches the pray?

Dionaea muscipula “Centurion” is a carnivorous plant that has a snap trap mechanism to catch prey: the trap is no less then a modified leaf with 2 lobes that produces sugrar-like substances to attract insects.

The trap snaps when the prey lands on its surface.

Every trap shows three trigger hairs in each lobe that act as a mechanical sensor of the insects that is moving on the plants. When two trigger hairs are stimulated simultaneously the trap close trapping the pray

The closure meachnism is also very fast and leaves are able to close themselves when stimulated in less then a second. In this first step the trap is not completely closed and the outer cilia (or hairs) of the leaves help to create a cage in which the insects are trapped.

This first and not complete closure serve as  a second control step to avoid false prey (as, for example, a drop of rain or  casual leaves shaked by the wind). If an insects is really trapped then the trigger hairs will be stimulated continuosly and the trap closes completely and starts to produce digestive enzyme.

Description:

-form: prostrate

-leaf color: bright green

-trap color: dark red

-teeth: standard

-shipping in 6.5 pot, ceramic color

More information:

For growing  info visit the blog:

https://www.diflora.it/guide/come-si-coltiva-dionaea-muscipula/

For more pictures visit our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/difloraplant