How to Care for a Venus Flytrap

So you want to grow a man-eating plant…okay maybe not “man-eating” but at least a small insect capturing plant. Carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) can be both educational and entertaining. Having evolved in areas deficient in nutrients, these ancient bog plants learned how to capture insects and digest them to extract the chemicals necessary to allow growth and promote photosynthesis which in turn “feeds” the plant.  Unfortunately, the lack of leaf surface on carnivorous plants means they need to take in a lot of insects and bask in the sun to make this process work in their favor — a tough life for the plant, but fascinating to the observer. So if you are looking for something new for your plant collection, why not go carnivorous and get a Venus Flytrap? It’s sort of like adopting a pet, only you can skip the pooper scooper.

Location, Location, Location!
Adequate lighting is very important to keeping a Venus flytrap healthy. During their active growing season (spring thru fall), Venus flytraps should receive a minimum of 12 hours of light with a minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight. In general, the more direct light the plant receives the healthier the plant will be. The optimum location is outside in an open area where it can get all the sunlight and bugs it needs. If moving a new plant from indoors to outside, gradually move the plant from a shadier location to a sunnier one over a couple of weeks so as not to sunburn it.

If you are unable to grow your Venus flytrap outside, place it in a south, east or west-facing windowsill that gets at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Make sure there is adequate ventillation so they do not cook on hot days. Another alternative is to use artificial lighting. Venus flytraps can be grown in terrariums with fluorescent lighting. Keep the flytrap within 4 to 8 inches of the light. The closer to the light the plant is, the better. (Note: Plants grown indoors MUST go through a dormancy period or they will eventually die. Please, read the section on Winter Dormancy.)

You can successfully grow your plant under lights during the summer and then put them in a cool windowsill, unheated porch or garage, or outside (zone 7 and warmer) for their winter dormancy.

Watering
You should only use pure water on your Venus flytraps. The dissolved minerals and salts in tap water are detrimental to their health.  Remember, they evolved in swamps deficient in nutrients. Venus flytraps and all other carnivorous plants should only be watered with distilled water, rain water, or reverse -osmosis water.

During the spring and summer, when Venus flytraps are actively growing, they should be kept moist but not soggy. If you grow your flytrap outside where it may dry more quickly (especially in the heat of the summer), you can place the potted plant in a tray filled with ½” of water during hot, dry weather. Let the tray dry out before adding more water. This method may also prove beneficial if you go on vacation and cannot monitor your plant. Otherwise, it may be better to water from the top and allow the planting medium to dry to just moist before watering.

When your plant starts to enter dormancy in late fall, reduce watering. When it is cold and the plant enters dormancy it is not actively using a lot of water so the medium should become almost dry before watering again. It is not unusual to only water your plant a couple of times a month during dormancy.

Winter Dormancy
It is imperative the Venus flytraps go through a dormancy period as they would in nature, or they will eventually die. Dormancy is signaled by temperature and the day/night cycle (short days and long nights). Dormancy usually starts in late fall and ends in early spring, about 4 months. For dormancy to occur, the flytrap should be held at temperatures between 32°F and 50°F in an area with natural light. Plants in dormancy can look dead — just nubs sticking out of the ground or a couple very small leaves.

For flytraps left outside, dormancy will occur naturally. If your night time temperatures hover around 32°F, you may want to sink the flytrap pot into the ground and mulch over the plant with pine needles or straw (just for the winter — in the spring when night time temps are 35°F and above, take it back out). If temperatures dip below 32°F for short periods of time (a few days) the plant should be fine. If the temperatures are going to dip into the teens for weeks at a time  you may want to overwinter your pot indoors.

Venus flytraps overwintered indoors should be kept in an unheated room or garage with a source of natural light where temperatures are between 32°F and 50°F. If the daytime temp in the unheated space crawls above this, the flytrap should remain dormant as long as it is getting natural light which signals a short day and “winter” to the plant and night time temperatures dip back down. Some people keep flytraps in refrigerators during dormancy, but this should be a last resort since there is no light for the plant.

Repotting

Growing Media —
When repotting your Venus flytrap it is very important to avoid regular potting soils or any medium with fertilizer in it. These plants naturally live in nutrient-poor soils. A mix of 1/3 silica sand and 2/3 peat moss works well for flytraps. Some people prefer to just use plain long fiber sphagnum moss, but this may dry out quickly in the heat. If you use long fiber sphagnum moss, you will want to check on the watering more often.

The Pot —
Plastic pots and even styrofoam cups make good pots for Venus fly traps. Avoid clay pots because they are porous and trap salts and minerals in their walls which will harm the flytraps. Do not use short, squat pots as the flytrap’s roots like room to stretch downwards.  Standard plastic pots are fine. If you are going to keep your pots outside, lighter colored pots will reflect heat away from the roots in the heat of the summer and white styrofoam is insulated. If you do use styrofoam cups remember to poke drainage holes in the bottom.

Repotting —
Every 2 years it’s a good idea to repot your Venus flytrap as it will use up the limited nutrients in its potting media. Spring is an excellent time for this since the plant is breaking dormancy and ready to grow.

To remove the plant from the old pot, gently tap the sides of the pot to loosen the plant and carefully lift it out. Remove the old media from the roots without ripping or damaging them. You may want to try soaking the roots in pure water and gently swirling them around to remove old debris. Now, fill your new pot with damp (never dry) planting media. Poke a hole in the center with a stick or screwdriver. gently hold the leaves upward and guide the roots straight down into the hole. The light colored part of the bulb should be below the soil level but NOT the darker green. Gently push the media against the bulb and roots. Finish with a watering.

If you play with it, it will DIE!
Each flytrap leaf has three hairs, which are called trigger hairs. When the insect touches two hairs or one hair twice, the trap starts to close. As the insect struggles (or “buggles”) the hairs are repeatedly stimulated and the trap closes more tightly. The plant then exudes digestive fluids which dissolve tiny parts of the insect. The trap will remain closed for one to two weeks.

Each set of flytrap leaves is only good for two feedings or five false closings — the kind you get when you stick your finger in the trap to make it close. Then that set of trap leaves dies and must be removed. So, leave it alone. The trap does not produce leaves quicky and if you play around too much, you may defoliate your plant.

Good Food?
For new plants, flies are actually too big. If you put an ant in the freezer for 5 minutes to slow it down, and put it in the trap, when it “awakens” it will trip the trigger hairs — tough on the ant, though. Also remember, DO NOT OVERFEED your plant! And do not feed them people food. Flytraps only want small insects. In fact, if your flytrap is outside, you will never have to worry about feeding it. Flytraps will hunt for themselves. If you grow your flytrap indoors, one insect every couple of weeks is plenty.