Venus Flytrap Cultivation
General Info:
Venus Flytraps (Dionaea muscipula) are the most famous carnivorous plants for their fast snapping jaws. Native only to the coast of North and South Carolina in boggy open forest, it is one of only two types of rapid “snap traps” (the other being the aquatic Aldrovanda). Easy to grow, it is a great plant for beginners. When grown outdoors, they can catch all kinds of insects, especially house flies (and also enjoy being hand-fed a juicy bug as well). While there seems to be only one primary variety in the wild, growers have developed hundreds of giant, colorful cultivars and variants over the last few decades.
The traps are triggered by 3 hairs on the inside of each lobe, where it take two sequential touches to cause the trap to close. Subsequent stimulation of these hairs or chemical stimuli will cause the trap to seal itself shut at the margins, then secret digestive enzymes. It takes roughly 1-2 weeks for digestion of an insect, after which the trap will reopen to expose the empty exoskeleton leftover from its meal. Some traps are capable of multiple small meals before the leaf eventually turns brown and dies back. However, the nourishment from these meals will stimulate the growth of new, larger leaves from the center of the plant.
Flytraps like wet conditions and full sun. In most mild climates, they can be grown outdoors year round. In winter, they will go dormant by either shrinking in size or dying back to an underground bulb. While dormant, they are capable of surviving frost, and will regrow in the spring. New leaves in spring will be flatter to the ground and flowers will follow shortly after. Summer will usher in the largest traps that will be more erect on their leaves, sticking up in the air.
Flowers are white and bloom from talk stalks. Plants require cross pollination to produce their shiny black seeds. I typically cut off the flower stalks as they take energy away from large trap production and result in temporarily smaller leaves. Growing from seed is a laborious process that takes years to get plants to flowering size. Plants are typically propagated through divisions or leaf pullings.
There are now numerous cultivars of Flytraps ranging in color from green, to red, to purple with mutations that change the shape of the trap. Some giant cultivars can grow traps that are 2” long and able to catch massive prey.
Cultivation:
Climate: Adaptable to any mild climate. Temperatures between 32-100F are best. Moderate humidity is fine. Avoid growing in enclosed areas without airflow. Winter dormancy is necessary for long term health.
Light: Full Sun or at least 20W per sq ft LED light. Venus flytraps love bright light and do best outdoors in full sun.
Water: Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water. Sitting in 1” of water using tray method. Flytraps can tolerate moist to soggy conditions, but do not allow the soil to dry out.
Soil: 1 part peat: 1 part sand, or 1 part peat: 1 part perlite. Pure long-fibered sphagnum moss is also good. Rinse media with distilled or reverse osmosis water to remove excess salts.
Feeding: Feed indoor traps with fresh/hydrated bugs or fish food slurry every month or so. Traps will occasionally reopen from inanimate food — to help the trap you can very gently squeeze it a little to help stimulate digestion. Wait until leaves are fully developed for at least few days before feeding. Feed 25-50% of mature traps at a time to stimulate fast growth. Outdoor plants generally catch enough flies on their own.
Notes:
Flytraps go through different seasons based on light and temperature. They will generally stop growing during winter and will resume in spring with fresh traps and flowers.
Outdoor plants can generally catch enough flies on their own. Feed indoor traps with fresh/hydrated bugs or fish food slurry every month or so. Traps will occasionally reopen from inanimate food — to help the trap you can very gently squeeze it after it closes to help stimulate digestion. Wait until leaves are fully developed for at least few days before feeding. Feed 25-50% of mature traps at a time to stimulate fast growth. The traps will generally only digest one large meal per leaf, but this will nourish the growth of many new leaves.
Traps will flower in spring — these can be cut off to save some energy for the plant but it is fine to let them flower as well. Flowers need to be cross pollinated to produce seed.
Typical varieties of Venus Flytraps should turn red inside the traps if given enough light. If they are green or barely red (and are not a specifically green or pale variety) then they need more light.
