PUSH Dionaea muscipulacommonly known as “Dionea” or “powder journal”, it is a carnivorous plant belonging to the Droseraceae family. This plant originates from the United States, mainly from the coastal areas of North and South Carolina, in the southeastern region of the country. Dionea was discovered and scientifically described for the first time in 1768 by John Ellis, British botanist and naturalist. The carnivorous plant quickly gained popularity and charm for his extraordinary abilities catch small insects e prey such as flies and flying insects.
How to grow Dione
Cultivation Dionea at home requires some care, but it will definitely be worth it.
- Buying plants: It is important to ensure that you buy from reputable sources to ensure that the plants are healthy and of good quality.
- Container selection: you will need to choose a shallow pot or box with drainage holes to ensure that excess water drains away easily.
- Ground floor: it is necessary to prepare a substrate suitable for carnivorous plants. A commonly used mixture consists of sphagnum peat moss, perlite and sand.
- Location: it is advisable to find a bright and sunny place for placing the plant. Dionea needs a lot of light to thrive. A window facing south or east is ideal.
- Waterfall: the water used for irrigation must be free of minerals.
- Nutrition: Dionea obtains nutrients from catching insects and does not need fertilizers. Do not give artificial fertilizers, they can damage the plant.
- Pruning: any dry or dead leaves should be removed to keep the plant healthy.
How to take care of it
Caring for Dione it is also possible with DIY products, the most eco-friendly and convenient way to keep this carnivorous plant healthy and thriving.
- DIY Distilled Water: for watering Dionea, the best choice is distilled water, which does not contain minerals and chemicals that could harm the plant. You can easily prepare distilled water using natural distillation.
- Natural insect traps: Dionea naturally catches insects with its mouth-shaped traps. However, insects can be attracted to Dionea without the use of artificial insecticides, using natural traps such as: jars of honey or fruit juice, yellow sticky paper, or catching companion plants near Dionea that attract and trap various insects, providing an additional source of food for the plant .
- During the winter period of inactivity: reduce watering and place the plant in a cooler place (but not below 5 °C). Dionea goes dormant during the winter months and will need less water.
Characteristics of Dione
Besides being one carnivorous plantDione has Properties unique of its kind, which attract the attention of gardeners and professionals.
- Mouth traps: The most distinctive feature of Dioney is the mouth-shaped traps. The leaves of the plant are divided into two lobes, each with spiny “claws”. Inside these traps are small, sensitive hairs. When an insect or prey triggers these hairs, the trap quickly closes like a spring, trapping the victim inside. This trapping mechanism is a remarkable evolutionary adaptation that allows the plant to obtain the nutrients it needs in nutrient-poor soils.
- Reactivity to prey movements: He is a skilled hunter due to his reactivity to the movements of his prey. When an insect lands on a trap and activates the tiny hairs inside, the plant is able to determine whether the prey is large and nutritious enough to justify its digestion. If the insect is not large enough or does not stimulate the hairs enough, the trap will reopen within a few hours to save energy. Conversely, if the insect is large enough and stimulates the hairs enough, the plant will completely seal the trap and begin the digestion process.
- Habitat in wetlands and swamps: It is native to the coastal areas of North and South Carolina in the United States. Its natural distribution is limited to wet and swampy areas with acidic and nutrient-poor soils. This plant has evolved to adapt to these harsh habitats, capturing and digesting insects to obtain the nutrients it needs to survive.